A Merseyside gang was uncovered in a nationwide drugs conspiracy, after police found £70,000 of drugs on a courier driving from Liverpool.
Joanne Cooke was pulled over on the A19 at Crathorne, near Yarm, North Yorkshire in April 2016 as she was couriering drugs into the area from the city.
Cooke was found 1/2kg of cocaine, which was described as ''high purity, import quality'' and 2kg of cannabis.
At court it was heard that phone records showed Cooke was in constant contact with Liverpool-based Dennis Dawrant Junior, during every trip she made, reports TeesideLive.
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The drugs were being offloaded to Teesside and to the south of England and the network of suppliers on Teesside then sold the drugs, ''on the street''.
Teesside Crown Court heard that Dawrant Junior was the gang's organiser, and he, worked alongside his dad, Dennis Dawrant Senior, with both stepping in to courier the cocaine and cannabis after Cooke's arrest, until they found a new courier to take over her job.
Members of the Merseyside-based gang, which were placed under surveillance by police during 2016-2017, had different roles in order to keep the drugs operation running smoothly.
Dennis Dawrant Junior, 43, described as, ''the lynchpin at the heart of it'' arranged more than 70 courier trips to Teesside from Liverpool.
Dawrant Senior, 62, was the 'warehouse man' who also kept notes on financial transactions.
Edward Metcalfe, Alan McCaig and Stephen Folan were sentenced for their roles as couriers.
The gang's text messages revealed they were paid approximately £200 per journey.
The gang were responsible for transporting large quantities of cocaine and cannabis, mainly to Teesside but also to dealers across the country.
All the gang pleaded guilty to the two charges of conspiring to supply class A and class B drugs, except Folan, who was found guilty after a trial. Folan's defence told the judge that he now accepted his part in the operation.
Judge Paul Watson told the court that, ''Class A drugs like cocaine are highly addictive.
"The misery and damage that addiction causes to physical and mental health is all too familiar to those who practice and sit in criminal courts.
"Addicts invariable resort to crime in order to satisfy their craving.
"At a higher level, the drug trade and the astronomical profit it generates, frequently gives rise to gang rivalry and turf wars which lead to public disorder and serious violence''.
Jailing them one by one, the judge told them, ''Each of you were involved. It's supply at a serious and commercial end of the scale.
"It's a plague on society''.
Gang leader Dawrant Junior, of Capricorn Crescent in Liverpool received a 12 year prison term.
Dawrant Senior, of Vale Street in Denbigh received an eight years and six months.
Metcalfe, 60, of Green Bank Drive in Liverpool received eight years.
Folan, 37, of Northumberland Street in Liverpool received seven years and six months.
Cooke, 36, of Trentham Avenue in Liverpool received four years and eight months.
McCaig, 64, of Fine View Crescent in Stranraer received five years and four months.
Teesside members of the gang are to be sentenced on Friday.
