Two more men have been charged in connection with the seizure of a large haul of drugs.

Mark Hastie, 45, of Halleys Way, Houghton Regis, and Stephen Chambers, 44, of Warmdene Road, Brighton, have both been charged with conspiracy to supply a class A drug.

Hastie appeared at Hatfield Magistrates' Court yesterday and Chambers will appear at St Albans Magistrates’ Court on June 9.

The charges relate to three drugs seizures in Essex - 3.7 tonnes of cannabis was recovered in October while three kilos of cocaine were seized in three separate seizures during September and November.

The investigation is being led by the Eastern Region Special Operation Unit (ERSOU) .

It brings the number of those charged in the operation to eight: Thomas Aldridge, 30, of Woodlands Park Drive, Great Dunmow, Essex; Luke Jewitt, 29, of Chapel Hill, Braintree, Essex; Robert Strachan, 37, of Holbrooke Court, Holloway, London; Darren Mullarkey, 24, of Earlsferry Way, Barnsbury, London; Louis Dibra, 31, of Juniper Close, Halstead, Essex and Ndreim Muliu, 23, of Cressing Road, Braintree, Essex, have all been charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs (cocaine).

Aldridge is also charged with being concerned in the importation of class B drugs, while Muliu has been charged with two offences contrary to the Identity Documents Act 2010.

All eight will appear at St Albans Crown Court on 19 June.