Lazaro Loizidis, a 27-year-old Cypriot, was sentenced to 11 years in prison in Britain for £6 million cocaine trafficking, British media report.

Loizidis had two accomplices, Joe Sawyer, 26, and Robert Beckley, 31. Court of Snarsbrook sentenced them to a total of more than 20 years in prison.

The accomplices were arrested last October. A total of 49 kilograms of cocaine was found in their white van in a secret hiding place, in the house of a Cypriot and in his possession when they were arrested – the amount of drugs is estimated to be about six million pounds.

Commenting on the case, police said: “The full extent of these men’s attempt to conceal their criminal activity by setting up caches in the car is difficult for the average person to imagine. But then again, it wouldn’t occur to the average person to carry almost 50 kilos of cocaine in their car.