THREE men arrested following the seizure of drugs valued at £2 million in Poole have been released on police bail.

Officers from the UK Borders Agency swooped on the port on Monday after the freight ferry arrived from Santander in northern Spain.

Three British men were arrested and a haul of 43 kilos of cocaine and 100 kilos of cannabis resin was seized after the ferry docked.

Officers discovered the drugs, with an estimated street value of £2 million, on a lorry disembarking from the ferry after the 26-hour sea crossing.

The men arrested have been bailed until January 11 and 12 next year.

Meanwhile the case has been passed to HM Revenue and Customs whose criminal investigators are pursuing enquiries into the importation of the large amount of illegal Class A and B drugs.

“Smugglers should not see regional ports like Poole as a soft touch,” said Peter Avery, HM Customs’ assistant director of criminal investigation.

“Customs investigators and their borders agency colleagues work closely to prevent drugs from entering the UK and harming our communities. Our investigations will not only focus on those transporting these illegal drugs into Dorset, but also those who mastermind and finance this illegal activity,” he said.

Anyone with information about illegal smuggling activities should call the Customs hotline on 0800 59 5000.