A SOUTH Essex man has been arrested over a half-tonne haul of cocaine worth £40million seized on a quiet beach.

Six men were arrested in locations across England as part of a National Crime Agency investigation.

A 36-year-old man from Tilbury was arrested by officers yesterday. NCA officers also arrested a man, aged 38, was in Peterborough; a 45-year-old in Bournemouth; and a 41-year-old in Poole, Dorset.

Today, a 39-year-old was arrested at Luton Airport, and a 39-year-old was arrested in Liverpool on Monday

This comes after offices recovered a rigid-hulled inflatable boat at Medmerry Beach, near Selsey, West Sussex, on August 19.

It contained 500kg of cocaine.

This week’s arrests take the total arrested in connection to the cocaine importation to 12.

All have been released on bail.