The Hideout café in Gorleston (Image: Sonya Duncan)

The group concealed their wares in hedgerows in secluded rural spots, from where they could retrieve them when required.

Blocka Road, St Olaves, near Great Yarmouth (Image: Sonya Duncan)

The group - since dubbed the Greasy Spoon Gang - was caught after police placed it under surveillance and monitored its members.

Seven of them appeared at Norwich Crown Court this week where they were sentenced to a total of 27 years for their role supplying more than 17kg of cocaine, worth more than £1.3m, between March and August last year.

Norwich Crown Court (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)

The most senior figures Marc Kane, 43, and Ashley Youngman, 34, were directors of the Hideout Café on Gorleston's Shrublands estate.

The Hideout café in Gorleston (Image: Sonya Duncan)

After police launched their months-long surveillance operation, dubbed Accent, the pair were monitored travelling out from Gorleston to "stash points" in surrounding villages to hide drugs in plastic containers in hedgerows.

Cocaine was put in plastic boxes and hidden in hedgerows (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)

Among the locations used were a number on the Somerleyton estate, owned by Lord and Lady Somerleyton, including on Blocka Road, St Olaves, and Station Road, in the village of Somerleyton.

There were stash points at Station Road, Somerleyton (Image: Sonya Duncan)

Another spot used was on Hobland Road, near Fritton Lake.

Blocka Road in St Olaves, near Yarmouth was a stash point (Image: Sonya Duncan)

The pair were spotted - either in company or alone - returning to the locations to recover the cocaine before going to narrow country roads or car parks, where they would sell the drugs on to 'sub dealers' - including 34-year-old Michael Rushmer - who were lower down the chain.

Kane used a number of different vehicles while hiding and recovering the drugs, including a white Range Rover Evoque and a blue Ford Focus, and was sometimes accompanied by a woman and young child.

Youngman, who was disqualified from driving at the time, used a white Audi Q5 as well as other vehicles, including a black Ford Focus and white BMW.

Ashley Youngman (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)

The court heard........

© Norwich Evening News