THREE men in their 60s have been arrested in Prescot and Whiston as part of a police investigation into drug trafficking which saw simultaneous raids in Alicante in Spain.

They were arrested during raids on properties on Thursday morning.

Officers seized around £6,000 from one house in Halsnead Park and £1,000 from a house in Prescot. A further £2,000 was seized from a boat berthed at Coburg Wharf in Liverpool.

The arrests were carried out as part of a joint investigation by the force's Matrix Serious Organised Crime unit and Spanish police into the importation of controlled drugs from Spain into the UK.

In Alicante in Spain local police arrested nine people and uncovered two plantation style cannabis farms at the same time the Merseyside warrants were being executed.

Detectives interviewed a 63-year-old from Prescot and two 68-year-olds from Whiston on suspicion of conspiracy to import controlled drugs. They have since been released on conditional police bail pending further enquiries.

Anyone with information about drug offences where they live is asked to contact their neighbourhood policing team or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.