Madrid police have arrested five members of a criminal gang specialised in robbing drug traffickers by disguising themselves as police officers.

The arrests were made as the gang was about to confiscate 264kg of high grade cocaine being stored in a warehouse in Alcalá de Henares by four Colombians, who were also detained.

During the investigation it came to light that the gang, which was led by an Italian, had been keeping tabs on their intended targets for some time using an array of high-tech surveillance equipment installed in a specially-adapted commercial van, which was confiscated.

Four handguns, silencers, fake police badges, police vests, handcuffs, €14,000 euros in cash, four cars and a motorcycle were later seized in three police raids at addresses in Madrid city centre, Majadahonda and Alcalá de Henares.