A suspected drug smuggler from South Gloucestershire has been arrested in Spain after the discovery of three tonnes of cocaine.

The 50-year-old man from Thornbury was one of seven British men detained by Spanish National Police (SNP) in Galicia after a tip-off from the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA).

During the bust – code named operation Piñata – three tonnes of cocaine, a loaded Glock gun and almost a million Euros in cash were seized from a concealed compartment in a van.

The BBC has reported that this is the largest seizure of cocaine in the Spanish region for almost 20 years.

The organised crime group, which included men from London, Liverpool and Thornbury, are alleged to have been trafficking cocaine from South America through Spain and in to the UK.

The seven men travelled to Galicia on Friday, December 11 and paid a €500,000 deposit for the first 700kg of the cocaine consignment.

Over the weekend members of the group were seen meeting Spanish and Dutch dealers who were tasked with collecting the first 300kg of the drug.

The men were arrested the following Tuesday as they attempted to move the stash in a van.

The UK nationals arrested include five men from Liverpool – aged 34, 59, 47, 31 and 47 – a 41-year-old man from Kingston-upon-Thames and a 50-year-old man from Thornbury.

Two Dutch nationals and two Spanish nationals were also arrested in the operation.

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