A grate cheese heist has occurred as 22 tons of cheddar including Hafod Welsh was stolen from a national cheese distributor.

Fraudsters posing as French wholesalers stole 950 cloth-bound cheddars from Neal’s Yard Daisy, which is now working with UK and international law enforcement to try to uncover the thieves.

The company received £300,000 worth of award-winning cheeses before Neal’s Yard Dairy realised they were fake.

Three cheeses of high monetary value were taken including Holden Dairy’s Hafod cheddar from Lampeter, Westcombe and Pitchfork cheddar.

London-based Neal’s Yard Dairy sells Hafod Welsh for £12.90 per 300g.

Neal’s Yard has paid the cheesemakers so they won’t bear the brunt of the crime, describing the cheese as some of the “most sought-after artisan cheeses in the UK”, adding: “The company is now taking steps to ensure the financial stability and continued development of British artisan cheese sector.

“We encourage customers to continue supporting us in the coming months, knowing that every purchase helps sustain our commitment to the small-scale producers we champion.”

The Metropolitan police said no arrests have yet been made: “On Monday, 21 October, we received a report of the theft of a large quantity of cheese from a manufacturer based in Southwark. Enquiries are ongoing into the circumstances.”

Patrick Holden of Holden Farm Dairy said to the Guardian: “It might sound naive to fall victim to a scam, but the truth is that the artisan cheese world is a place where trust is deeply embedded in all transactions.

“The breach of trust by this fraudulent customer is a violation of the atmosphere of good faith and respect.

“It’s a world where one’s word is one’s bond.”

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is now calling the public to be wary of high-quality cheeses being sold cheaply on the black market: “You’re going to think I’m joking but I’m not - there has been a ‘grate’ cheese robbery.

“Some of the best cheddar cheese in the world has been stolen.

“The most widely made cheese on the planet is cheddar - we don’t have DOP status because we’re stupid.

“There's only a small handful of real cheddar cheese makers in the world and these are some of the ones which have been knicked.

“This will slow Neal’s Yard's ability to support their cheesemakers for the next five years.

“If anyone hears anything about posh cheese going for cheap - it’s probably some wrongens!”