The family, who police described as 'not quite the Sopranos', were involved in laundering more than £800,000 and posting drugs around the country
Mark Page Content Editor
10:05, 17 Dec 2025
A Hull crime family who were described by police as "not quite the Sopranos" have been sentenced after being involved in laundering more than £800,000 and posting drugs around the country. Three members of the Cotson family were convicted in September of a range of offences and their fate has now been "signed, sealed and sentenced".
They appeared at Hull Magistrates' Court on Tuesday for sentencing following their convictions at Hull Crown Court three months ago. They were part of an operation that saw Daniel Cotson post large quantities of unlicensed Class C drugs - including zopiclone, diazepam and temazepam - across the UK through local shops and post offices.
They were sold online with payments funnelled into his bank accounts before being transferred to his parents, Paul and Stephanie Cotson, who invested £460,000 while also claiming benefits.
Daniel Cotson, 43, of Marine Wharf, Hull, admitted two counts of possession of criminal property, two counts of possession with intent to supply cocaine, conspiracy to convert criminal property, suppling class C zopiclone, supplying class C diazepam, and supplying class C temazepam. He has been jailed for three years.
Paul Cotson, 71, and Stephanie Cotson, 70, of The Link, Hull, were convicted by a jury of conspiracy to convert criminal property following a four-day trial. They were both handed two-year prison sentences, suspended for 12 months, and each ordered to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work.
Investigations into the criminal enterprise began May 2021 when a staff member from a shop in Hull city centre raised concerns about packages being sent out by Daniel Cotson. Staff at the store carried out a security check and one of the parcels was found to contain blister packaging filled with tablets.
Police officers then attended and seized 32 postal bags believed to contain controlled drugs. CCTV enquiries confirmed Daniel Cotson regularly visited the shop where he was sending out the parcels.
He was arrested on May 17, 2021, during one of his visits to post drugs and he was found with two postal bags ready to send out. Following a search of Daniel Cotson’s home address, officers recovered tablets with a street value of £44,703, cocaine worth £1,250, and £1,180 in cash.
Further enquiries revealed that, between May 2019 and July 2021, Daniel Cotson received £812,797.27 in third-party bank transfers. He moved over £534,000 to his parents’ savings account, which they used to invest in their own names.
Both Paul and Stephanie Cotson were fully aware of Daniel’s previous convictions, including a Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) order issued in 2013, yet continued to support and benefit from his criminal activity.
Officer in the case, Police Constable Mark Bentley of Humberside Police, said: “This investigation uncovered a deliberate and sustained effort to profit from crime. Daniel Cotson was responsible for the supply of unlicensed and controlled drugs across the country, using local shops to post parcels and online platforms to reach customers.
"Paul and Stephanie Cotson were not only aware of Daniel’s previous convictions, but they actively helped him move and invest over half a million pounds of criminal money. They attended his previous court hearings, knew the risks, and still chose to involve themselves.
"They invested criminal proceeds in their own names and attempted to distance themselves from the source of the funds despite clear contrasting evidence."
Detective Inspector Matt Grantham from the Kinetic Organised Crime Group team added: “Drug crime fuels violence, damages lives, and exploits the most vulnerable people in society. This case represents a clear message that crime doesn’t pay, even when it’s kept in the family.
“These sentences are the result of a complex and sustained investigation into a family-run criminal network. Officers worked tirelessly to piece together financial records, digital evidence, and witness accounts to expose the full scale of the Cotsons operation.
"We remain relentless in our commitment to find those responsible for organised crime and bring them before the courts.”