THREE men charged in connection with heroin smuggling have appeared before magistrates at Sevenoaks.

David Powell, 45, of Headcorn Road, Lenham, near Maidstone, was remanded in custody together with Turkish national Mert Goren, from Bournemouth, and Sean Harrison, from Hastings. They were arrested by National Crime Squad officers.

The men were charged after police swooped on three cars parked in a lay-by on a slip road between junction 2a of the M26 and the A20, near Borough Green, and seized about 70kg of heroin with a street value of £5 million.

The defendants will re-appear before Sevenoaks magistrates on August 12.

A woman in her 40s was arrested at an address in Kent late on Saturday night on suspicion of money laundering as part of the same operation. She was released without charge pending further inquiries.