Four men are charged after £40m of cocaine is found in village

Four men have been charged after half-a-tonne of cocaine worth £40million was found in a village pub car park.

The massive haul was discovered in the back of a van at the Stags Head Inn, in Lelley, East Yorkshire. 

The National Crimes Agency - Britain's own 'FBI' - believe the 500kg stash was smuggled into the country on a small boat before being placed in silver Vauxhall. 

Four men, a 39-year-old Colombian national of no fixed abode and three men aged 22, 24 and 32 from Argyll and Bute, in Scotland, were arrested on Saturday in connection with the investigation. 

The NCA said they have now been charged with the importation of class A drugs. They are expected to appear at Hull Magistrates' Court in due course. 

Four men have been charged after a 500kg haul of cocaine was allegedly found inside a van in a pub car park (pictured are the seized drugs)

The massive haul of narcotics was discovered in a vehicle at the Stags Head Inn, in Lelley, East Yorkshire on Saturday. The drugs have an estimated street value of £40million 

Speaking previously, NCA Senior Investigating Officer Alan French said: 'This was a significant amount of cocaine and its seizure will be a sizeable blow to the organised crime group which attempted to smuggle it into the UK.

'There's no doubt these drugs would have been sold into communities around the UK, fuelling further crime and exploitation.

'Working with our law enforcement partners we are determined to do all we can to disrupt criminal activity, and protect the UK's border security.

'Our investigation continues following these arrests.'

The NCA operation was supported by Humberside Police, the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit and Border Force.