Two men have been charged over an alleged drug smuggling plot after a light aircraft carrying millions of pounds worth of cocaine landed at a Kent airport.

The pair were arrested after a small plane touched down at Rochester Airport next to the Holiday Inn hotel in Maidstone Road, Chatham.

The pilot, who had flown over from Holland that day, was seen by officers from the National Crime Agency and Met Police leaving the aircraft and walking into the hotel carrying two large bags.

Shortly after, a second man left the hotel carrying the same two bags.

Officers from the Met Police's Organised Crime Partnership (OCP) stopped the second man and searched his bags, which were found to contain 22kg of cocaine.

If cut and sold in the UK, the drugs would have a potential street value of £4 million.

Dutch national John Buwalda, 49, and Jan Polak, 61, a Polish national living in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, have been charged with importing class A drugs and remanded in custody.

They are due to appear at the Old Bailey on August 1.

Andy Tickner from the OCP said: "This operation has successfully prevented a large quantity of class A drugs impacting upon the communities of the UK.

"These are significant arrests and our investigation is ongoing.

"The Organised Crime Partnership will continue to disrupt drugs and prevent organised criminals from accessing the proceeds of their crime."

The OCP brings together officers from the National Crime Agency and Metropolitan Police Service to protect the communities from the harms inflicted by organised crime.