TWO high-value range rovers stolen from outside homes in Epping have been seized by police at a Suffolk port - just as they were about to be smuggled out of the country.

The vehicles, which were swiped in separate raids in September and October, were discovered at Felixstowe docks, near Ipswich, in containers waiting to be shipped abroad.

The seizure comes as part of a six-week undercover police operation at the harbour, during which a network of smuggling conspiracies has been exposed, with officers recovering a total of 73 vehicles worth more than £2million.

Most of the cars seized are said to have been stolen in home burglaries, with thieves deliberately targeting affluent homes in order to retrieve the keys to top-of-the-range vehicles parked outside.

Many residents in the district have fallen victim to such raids in recent months, including a number of footballers such as former West Ham captain Lucas Neill in Chigwell.

The operation was the culmination of months of work by a specialist unit combining officers from Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk police, involving hi-tech surveillance work.

Head of the unit, Assistant Chief Constable Chris Miller, said: “Earlier this year the decision was taken to carry out an operation to explore the issues of vehicles being stolen to order and shipped abroad to Africa, the Middle East and beyond.

“This operation has proved extremely successful and we have had a great deal of positive feedback from victims who have been reunited with their property.

“We will continue to work with partners to tackle these crimes and will look at the possibility of carrying out similar operations in the future.”

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Lay, who oversaw command of the unit, said: “The theft and planned exportation of these vehicles is clearly the work of serious, organised crime groups who are using high value vehicles as collateral to finance and fund organised crime.”

The owner of the car stolen in Epping in September has now been reunited with their vehicle.

Police said the other owner would get their car back shortly.