GARDAÍ HAVE ARRESTED three men at Waterford Airport in relation to the seizure of €3.5 million worth of cocaine in the UK.

The three men were arrested last week after disembarking from an aircraft which had arrived from Belgium via an airfield in the British midlands.

Shortly after that plane had landed in the UK, members of the UK National Crime Agency intercepted a car nearby and discovered 50kgs of cocaine valued at around €3.5 million.

A man was arrested by members of the UK National Crime Agency and has subsequently been charged and appeared before court.

The plane which had landed in the UK airfield then travelled on to Waterford. However, it was searched by gardaí on arrival.

A number of mobile phones and €9,000 in cash was seized.

Three men on board were arrested for alleged offences under 72 Criminal Justice Act 2006 and detained under section 50 Criminal Justice Act 2007 at Garda Stations in the South East.

Following further enquiries with the UK National Crime Agency, Interpol and Swedish Police, the identities of a Lithuanian man in his 30s and two Swedish men in their 50s were confirmed.

The aircraft remains detained by gardaí.

Last Sunday, all three men were released and a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

All three males were re-arrested on foot of European Arrest Warrants issued by the Swedish authorities and appeared before the High Court at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin on Monday. The men have been remanded in custody to appear again before the High Court on 11 March 2022.