Seven suspected members of a drug-smuggling ring accused of using an insider at a UK port have been arrested in an armed raid that saw the seizure of cocaine worth more than £90 million.
A team from the National Crime Agency (NCA) led the raid at Sheerness port in Kent in the early hours of Monday, with 100 officers involved.
Six people were arrested at the port, including a 27-year-old man who works as a security guard at the site, and a seventh man was held at his home in Hertfordshire.
Around 1.2 tonnes of cocaine was seized, which has a street value of more than £90 million.
All seven have been charged with conspiring to import class A drugs, and are due to appear at Medway Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
Investigators say the drugs were smuggled into the UK from Costa Rica, hidden inside a shipment of bananas.
Those charged are Michael Turner, 54, from Hertfordshire, Kyle Davidson, 30, and Danny Laird, 38, both from Buntingford, Hertfordshire, Ian Woodward, 33, from Ware Hertfordshire, Joel McCaughey, 31, from Castlefield, Manchester Darren Laurie, 50, of no fixed address, and Sam Elphick, 27, from Sheerness.
