Last updated 05:20, Friday, 09 May 2008

DETECTIVES have charged two more men – the fourth and fifth – in connection with a cocaine seizure worth £15 million.

A Cumbrian Police spokesman yesterday confirmed that Phillip Grange, 54, of Park Valley, The Park, Nottingham, and Simon Jason Finlay, 32, of Park Lane, Wesham, Preston, were charged with conspiracy to import cocaine. Both were due to appear before magistrates in Kendal late yesterday.

The charges are the latest stage in an inquiry following the discovery of 135kg of cocaine from two lorries stopped entering Harwich port in Essex.

The seizure was one of the largest ever seen in the UK.

Amphetamine with a street value of £10,000 was also later discovered at a lock-up in Preston.

Peter Michael Hannigan, 49, of Howe Gardens, Kendal, and Mark Seel Neville, 41, of Lancashire, have already appeared before magistrates, as has Darren James Michael Morris, 32, of Wesham Hall Road, Wesham, Kirkham, Lancashire, all charged with conspiracy to import cocaine and fraudulent evasion of prohibition on the importation of cocaine.

Hannigan and Neville are also charged with conspiracy to supply amphetamine.

No pleas were entered and the cases of those three men were adjourned until July 7, when they will be heard again at Carlisle Crown Court.

Three other men arrested following the cocaine seizure – a 35-year-old and a 45-year-old from Grantham, Lincolnshire and a 32-year-old from Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, have been released on bail until July 1.

The seizure came after an investigation led by detectives from Cumbria police headquarters’ CID unit.

They were helped by Lancashire Constabulary and HM Customs and Revenue.