The Dutch military police, or Marechaussee, have arrested six men and one woman for suspected drug smuggling and money laundering via Schiphol airport.

All seven worked for a company based at the airport and had Schiphol access badges.

The arrest came after weeks of investigation following a tip off from the public prosecution office and involved phone taps, decoding encrypted data and observation of the suspects.

As a result, some 321 kilos of cocaine from Ecuador was intercepted at the airport on May 24 this year with a street value of around €16m, investigators said.

A police search of the homes of the in total 13 suspects arrested in the course of the operation turned up luxury goods, cars with hidden compartments and computers, all of which were impounded.

The investigation is ongoing.