A Mitcham man has been jailed for more than 12 years after importing cocaine worth £250,000 hidden in a diabetic food parcel.

Michael Anthony Hayles, 45, of Park Avenue, Mitcham was convicted last week of conspiracy to import cocaine and conspiracy to supply cocaine.

Hayles and another man, Garvin Calliste, were arrested in a joint Met Police-Serious Organised Crime Agency operation in May after a customs officer spotted the drugs stashed in to packages at Gatwick Airport.

The court was told police delivered the package containing 5kg of cocaine hidden in the diabetic food products to Hayles' home in Park Avenue on May 21.

When the package was delivered, Hayles told police the person who the parcel was addressed to lived at the address and that the parcel should be placed in a tray just inside the door to the left.

Shortly afterwards, Hayles was then spotted leaving the home carrying a blue bag, which he put into a red BMW and drove to Grenfell Road, Tooting.

Officers swooped on the car and recovered the blue bag which was found to contain the drugs.

When asked about the bag, Hayles said "it was delivered to my house, I was going to have a look at it, see what it was."

Hayles was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to import and supply cocaine into the UK.

He was sentenced on Friday to twelve-and-a-half years for the import charge and ten-and-a-half years for supply. The sentences are to run concurrently.

Calliste, 35, of Anne Street, Plaistow pleaded guilty on January 14 to conspiracy to supply cocaine. He was sentenced to six years and eight months jail.