FOOTAGE has been released of raids that were part of the UK's biggest ever drugs bust, including one believed to be in Eccleston.

Thirteen men were arrested yesterday morning as part of an investigation into an international organised crime group responsible for importing more than 50 tonnes of drugs worth billions of pounds into the UK from the Netherlands.

A 54-year-old man and a 37-year-old man from St Helens were among those arrested, with one of their arrests captured on the above video.

The men, aged between 24 and 59 were arrested in London, Manchester, Stockport, St Helens, Warrington, Bolton, Dewsbury, and Leeds.

Detctives are investigating the UK arm of a well-established organised crime group that used Dutch and British front companies to import heroin, cocaine and cannabis – hidden within lorry loads of vegetables and juice – through UK ports over an 18-month period.

Four men and two women from the Netherlands were also arrested in April 2019 by the Dutch National Police on European Arrest Warrants.

They are currently awaiting extradition to the UK.

Jayne Lloyd, National Crime Agency Regional Head of Investigations, said: “The NCA targets organised crime groups causing the greatest harm to the UK.

“Stopping criminals who don’t care about the damage they are causing in communities, and the children being exploited by County Lines drug dealing, is an absolute priority.

“We suspect these men were involved in an industrial-scale operation – the biggest ever uncovered in the UK – bringing in tonnes of deadly drugs that were distributed to crime groups throughout the country.

“By working closely with partners here and overseas, in particular the Dutch National Police, we believe we have dismantled a well-established drug supply route.”

The full extent of the drug trafficking operation was uncovered following the interception of three consignments in September 2018.

They contained 351 kilos of cocaine, 92 kilos of heroin, 250 kilos of cannabis and 1,850 kilos of hemp/hashish, with a total street value of more than £38 million.

Subsequent enquiries led officers to believe they had imported drugs on numerous occasions between February 2017 and October 2018.

This investigation linked to an NCA operation, where 13 individuals were jailed for a total of 176 years, after the seizure of more than 100kg of heroin in 2015.