Harminder Chana, 30, of Upton Park, East London; Patrick Kuster, 35, from Holland; and Atif Khan, 32, of York Close, Beckton, East London, appeared at Richmond Magistrates' Court in southwest London.

The trio were told to reappear at Kingston Crown Court on June 9. No applications for bail were made.

The magistrates heard how on Thursday police seized 356 kilograms of heroin with a street value of up to £20 million from two cars, a Seat Leon and a BMW estate, in the car park of a motorway service station near Junction 8 of the M20, near Maidstone, Kent.

Detective Chief Inspector Peter Beyer, of Scotland Yard's Specialist Crime Central Task Force, said: "This is one of the largest ever seizures of heroin by police in the UK."