Four men including one from Oban have been charged by police after a “significant” amount of cocaine was found in the back of a van.
Police made the find at around 8.30am on Saturday, May 4, near Lelley in Humberside.
After opening the back of Vauxhall Vivaro van at the Stag’s Head Inn, officers discovered around 500kgs of cocaine worth an estimated £40m.
The operation was carried out by the National Crime Agency (NCA), who believe the haul was transported from a larger vessel off the coast of Hull onto shore by a small inflatable boat.
Boat believed to be involved in operation
The boat was found abandoned on rocks at Easington Beach.
The NCA have now charged four men, a 22-year-old from Argyll, a 32-year-old from Oban, a 24-year-old from Campbeltown and a 39-year-old from Colombia.
NCA Senior Investigating Officer Alan French said: “This was a significant amount of cocaine and its seizure will be a sizeable blow to the organised crime group which attempted to smuggle it into the UK.
“There’s no doubt these drugs would have been sold into communities around the UK, fuelling further crime and exploitation.
“Working with our law enforcement partners we are determined to do all we can to disrupt criminal activity, and protect the UK’s border security.
“Our investigation continues following these arrests.”