A corrupt UK border officer has been convicted of trying to smuggle guns and drugs into Britain.

Simon Pellet, 37, from Dover, and two accomplices tried to bring in heroin, cocaine, pistols and even machine gun bullets.

They were swooped on by police in France.

Pellett had been on duty when he was arrested by the Police Nationale on October 6 last year.

Earlier that day he had collected a work van from his office in Folkestone and got on a Channel Tunnel shuttle service.

But Britain's National Crime Agency had placed a listening device in the van.

As he drove, he was heard making arrangements to rendezvous with other members of the crime group in Loon Plage, between Calais and Dunkirk.

He met Alex Howard, 35, from Sittingbourne, and David Baker, 55, from Eltham, south London, for a handover in a supermarket car park.

The two men had just placed three holdalls in the back of his van when French officers moved in to arrest them.

The holdalls contained eight pistols, two revolvers, a large quantity of ammunition, 28kg of cocaine with a potential street value of £2.8 million, and 6kg of heroin with a potential street value of £600,000.

The firearms included self-loading and machine pistols, revolvers, silencers and suitable ammunition. There was also ammunition suitable for a Skorpion sub-machine gun.

All three were extradited back to the UK.

Their trial at Isleworth Crown Court heard how the defendants played a key part in a wider organised criminal network responsible for smuggling drugs and firearms into the UK. Pellett was recruited to help them evade border controls, his motivation for involvement being a significant gambling habit.

Investigators believe he would have been paid around £20,000 for the smuggling run.

The jury on Monday found Pellett and Baker guilty of attempting to import firearms, heroin and cocaine.

Pellett was additionally found guilty of misconduct in a public office.

Today, Howard was found guilty of drug importation charges but cleared of the firearms charge.

All three men will be sentenced this Friday.

The investigation had been a joint one between the National Crime Agency, Metropolitan Police and French police.

David Rock from the NCA’s anti-corruption unit, said after the verdicts: “As a border officer, Pellet’s job was to prevent the illegal importation of goods into the UK, including firearms and drugs.

“He had the power to arrest anyone suspected of being involved in this type of crime, yet his personal greed made him susceptible to corruption and allowed him to be exploited by a UK-based organised crime group.

“Corruption at the border threatens the safety and security of the UK, which is why tackling it is such a priority for the NCA and law enforcement partners.

“This operation involved close collaboration between the British and French authorities and is a prime example of our international efforts to tackle cross-border organised crime.”