TENS of thousands of pounds worth of high-grade South American drugs have been recovered during a police operation.

Three people were arrested during the operation on Tyneside, which follows the interception at Stansted Airport of a package from Venezuela containing 500g of pure cocaine, with a street value of £60,000.

On Tuesday, police raided a Newcastle property and arrested a man and woman.

Both were released without charge, and officers later arrested a woman at Newcastle Central Station.

Yesterday, a 28-year-old woman appeared at Newcastle Crown Court charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine.

Following the operation, Detective Chief Inspector Ian Groom said: "We are determined to target the supply of illegal drugs and this is a significant high-value seizure."