Three suspected members of an international drug trafficking ring were arrested on Saturday in an operation that yielded around €600,000 worth of drugs believed to be cocaine. 

In a statement on Monday, the police said the arrests had followed weeks of investigation and surveillance on the players in the alleged international drug trafficking ring.  

The police said the anti-drugs squad had arrested three people, all foreign nationals, and confiscated around five kg of suspected cocaine with a street value of around €600,000. 

The police said the first arrest, of a 20-year-old Spanish woman, had been carried out at Malta International Airport on Saturday.  She was taken into police custody upon her arrival in Malta from Madrid. 

She was found in possession of a substance believed to be cocaine.  

A 30-year-old man from Venezuela was arrested soon after when police folloewed him to an Msida apartment. 

The police said the man had recently also arrived in Malta from Madrid. 

A stake-out on a St Julians hotel on Sunday had led to the arrest of a 38-year-old Spanish man who was found in possession of more drugs believed to be cocaine.  

The police also released this photo of the suspected drugs found hidden in a sock.

Magistrate Elaine Mercieca is leading a magisterial inquiry.  

The police said their investigation is still open, but the woman and two men would be arraigned in court on Monday before duty magistrate Noel Bartolo.