TWO Dover customs officers have been congratulated by a Crown Court judge for smashing a £300,000 cocaine smuggling operation from Spain.

Judge Adele Williams praised officers Lee Nolan and Darren Herbert for their investigation which led to a gang being jailed for a total 35 years.

Andrew Lovelock, 38, from Hatherleigh, Devon, Benjamin Larson, 32, from Bournemouth, and Jeremy Davies, 45, from Ruislip, Middlesex, had tried to smuggle drugs through Dover two years ago.

After a two-week trial at Canterbury Crown Court, Lovelock and Davies were convicted of conspiracy and jailed for 14 and nine years respectively. Larson, who admitted the charge, was jailed for 12 years.

Judge Williams said she wanted to commend the two officers and other members of their team for their "thorough and pain-staking investigation".