A Serbian lorry driver was caught trying to smuggling £5m worth of cocaine into the UK hidden with a load of frozen pizzas.
Vladan Petrovic's haul was discovered when warehouse workers in Heywood became suspicious of what was in his lorry, police said.
Officers then found 50 individual 1kg blocks of the class A drug split between his HGV trailer and a holdall in his cabin.
The drugs had an estimated street value of between £4 million and £5 million.
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Police said Petrovic, 40, started his journey in Italy, where his refrigerated HGV trailer was legitimately loaded with a shipment of frozen pizzas.
At another location - which is unknown - Petrovic acquired the cocaine and put 31kg underneath the pizzas and 19kg within the cabin.
He then drove across Europe and entered the UK via Dover, before driving to Heywood.
When he arrived, warehouse workers became suspicious when they unloaded the cargo and alerted GMP.
Officers from the Rochdale district attended the warehouse and arrested Petrovic.
When they quizzed him, he claimed mistaken identity, telling detectives the illegal load was destined for another HGV driver who looked like him.
He said he thought the items were something of value but was unaware what.
Detectives said 'there is no doubt' that the drugs were destined for distribution by Organised Crime Groups across the country.
Yesterday, Petrovic was found guilty of importation and possession with intent to supply at Manchester Crown Court.
He was jailed for 14 years for the importation, with 11 further years for the possession with intent to supply.
The sentences will run concurrently.
Detective Constable Marshall Trower, of GMP's Rochdale district, said: "Petrovic's greed has outweighed the obvious risks of importing cocaine into the UK - he went to great lengths to try and secrete this illicit haul within his HGV, piggy-backing a legitimate load of perishable goods to try and hasten and circumvent checks at the UK border.
"There is no doubt that this haul of cocaine would have been distributed to Organised Crime Groups across the UK, including in Greater Manchester, ending up in the hands of gangs involved in exploitation and violence.
"I hope that this sentence will serve as a reminder to any HGV driver, pilot or other key criminal facilitator that the court recognise the importance of their role, and will sentence as such."
