Three men have been arrested and cocaine worth millions of pounds has been seized in Kent.

The arrests and seizures, made in Dover, came as part of a National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation into drugs supply.

Investigators recovered 36 kilos of cocaine from inside a lorry that travelled on a ferry from France into Dover.

The drugs, hidden in what is believed to be a purpose-built hide in the lorry, has a potential street value of about £3 million.

The lorry driver, a 50-year-old man from Magheralin in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, was arrested on suspicion of conspiring to import Class A drugs.

Shortly afterwards officers stopped and arrested a a 56-year-old from Kingswood, near Maidstone, in the Dover area for the same offence.

Today, at about midday, a 40-year-old from River near Dover was detained at a haulage yard in the town, also on suspicion of conspiring to import Class A drugs.

All three men remain in custody, and properties in County Londonderry and County Armagh in Northern Ireland were searched as part of the investigation.

NCA regional head of investigations Gerry McLean said: “This was a significant seizure of class A drugs which would have generated a large amount of profit for criminals involved in drug supply.

“Crime groups involved in drugs supply are also involved in violence and exploitation, so cutting off their profits reduces the harm they can cause for our communities.

“Working with partners like Border Force and the PSNI we are determined to do all we can to disrupt and dismantle gangs involved in drug trafficking.”

This is the third major drugs haul to be made in Dover this week, after two separate seizures saw around £20m worth of cocaine taken off the streets on Monday.

Read more: All the latest news from Dover