A serving Border Force officer was one of 12 people arrested in an international operation against a crime group suspected of importing drugs and guns.

The officer, a 36-year-old man from the Dover area, was held by French police near Calais on Friday morning.

Three other Britons were also arrested at the scene and all four are now in French custody.

A total of 11 firearms, nine handguns and two revolvers were recovered along with magazines and suppressors.

French officers also seized around 34 kilos of cocaine and seven kilos of heroin.

Shortly afterwards, eight men were arrested by detectives from the Metropolitan Police Organised Crime Command in a number of areas of Kent.

Six of the eight were then charged with conspiracy to import firearms and class A drugs, and remanded in custody ahead of appearances at Barkingside Magistrates Court in Ilford, Essex today.

They are Christopher Hendra, 29, of Dunlin Walk, Sittingbourne, Liam Attwell, 18, of Becketts Close, Ashford, Terry Willett, 31, of Long Meadow Way, Canterbury, Daniel Duvall, 36, of Coldharbour Lane, Maidstone, Craig Brabon, 36, of Hazebrouck Road, Faversham,
Christopher Whitehead, 40, of Orpington, south London.

The remaining two men were released under investigation.

Officers from the NCA’s Anti-Corruption Unit also carried out searches at two locations in Folkestone and Dover as part of the operation.

The investigation has been conducted by the National Crime Agency and Met Police.

They are working in partnership with the Central Office for the Repression of Organised Crime of the French National Police (OCLCO), and the UK Home Office.

Dave Hucker, head of the NCA’s Anti-Corruption Unit, said: “This operation has brought together law enforcement from both sides of the Channel, and we believe we have prevented the importation of a significant quantity of class A drugs and firearms to the UK.
Our investigation is ongoing, both in the UK and in France.”

Det Ch Supt Michael Gallagher, head of the Metropolitan Police’s Organised Crime Command said:“We are pleased to work with the NCA and French police during this ongoing investigation.

"Operations like this show the importance of working together when suspected organised criminal networks operate across borders.”