A drugs gang who smuggled £68million worth of cocaine into Britain hidden inside gas canisters has been jailed.

The 16-strong syndicate began importing vast amounts of the drug in 2020, 'flooding' the streets of the North East.

At one point, the group are believed to have been smuggling 40kg of cocaine every week.

Between October 2019 and April 2020, 12 gas canisters were collected from sites in Chatham, Corby, Northampton and Peterborough, each containing between 12kg and 16kg of cocaine - a total haul of 172kg.

The gang was only discovered when French police smashed the secretive EncroChat messaging network used by organised criminals.

They have now been jailed for a combined 141 years at Newcastle Crown Court.

Prosecutors told the court, the drugs were concealed in gas bottles that had been welded shut and repainted before being transported to the UK.

The gang hid the drugs and cash in vans with hidden compartments to ferry around the country.

The 16-strong syndicate began importing vast amounts of the drug in 2020, 'flooding' the streets of the North East

It is believed the total value of the drugs being smuggled into Britain was around £68million

Messages revealed that Kevin Taylor, 43, left, was responsible for collecting and moving drugs and cash across the country

Messages revealed that ringleader Kevin Taylor, 43, from Newcastle, operating under the handle 'loyalmover', was responsible for collecting and moving drugs and cash across the country.

He was in contact with a criminal in Spain and another using the alias 'Mr Soprano', a nod to the hit TV series.

In one exchange, Taylor complained that Covid restrictions were hampering their smuggling operation and said he was trying to register his drivers as NHS volunteers to keep them moving.

Another member, David Jeavons, 60, was tasked with arranging the importation of cocaine. When arrested, police discovered £24,000 in cash hidden inside the roof of his caravan.

Other messages referred to 'working from the flat' - code for importing cocaine from Holland - while a contact in Spain spoke of '40 a week', believed to refer to 40kg of cocaine being smuggled weekly.

David Bowen, 53, known as 'discocockney', acted as a middleman, saying he was looking to move between 70kg and 100kg of cocaine from Holland 'on behalf of a Geordie' - a reference to Taylor.

Taylor's right-hand man, Colin Somerville, 46, from Newcastle, was responsible for opening the gas bottles when they arrived in the North East.

Accomplices Michael Watson, 46, and Craig Martin, 47, also from Newcastle, collected and delivered the drugs, as well as transporting £8.2million in cash to fund further shipments.

At one stage, the gang believed 10kg of cocaine had gone missing, suspecting a man in the Fenham area of Newcastle had stolen it.

In July 2020, Jeavons and two others met at the M62 Ferrybridge Services, where they argued over how to deal with the suspected thief.

October 2019 and April 2020, a total 172kg was smuggled into the country by the gang

The kind of gas canisters being used to smggle to cash into Britain

Craig Martin, left, was among among several others sentenced for their part in the conspiracy

Jeavons, of Felton, Northumberland, middle, was found guilty of one count and jailed for 10 years and eight months

In total, the gang received 141 years behind bars

The police say the gang's 'sole objective' was making a quick profit during lockdown

Police later intercepted messages about 'grabbing him', and an Osman warning - alerting someone their life was in danger - was issued to the man.

Taylor was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to supply cocaine and sentenced to 27 years in prison.

Jeavons, of Felton, Northumberland, was found guilty of one count and jailed for 10 years and eight months, while Bowen, of Mitcham, south London, was convicted of the same charge and handed four years, on top of an existing 10 years and eight months sentence for earlier drug offences.

Colin Somerville, Michael Watson, and Craig Martin were among several others sentenced for their part in the conspiracy.

Martin Clarke, branch commander of the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU), said: 'These individuals were responsible for flooding the North East with vast amounts of cocaine, some of which was transported in fairly sophisticated ways such as in gas cannisters.

Their sole objective was making a quick profit when the UK was at the height of the Covid-19 lockdown.'

Gang who smuggled £68m worth of cocaine in gas bottles jailed