Hampshire Constabulary released new information following a late-night rural operation which happened near Basingstoke last month. 

Officers were called just after 8.30pm on January 30 to a report of illegal hare coursing in Gunners Lane, Brown Candover.

Two 22-year-olds and a 31-year-old man from Surrey, and a 23-year-old from London were arrested and the dogs seized for poaching offence in rural Candover. 

The group were arrested on suspicion of entering land as entering land as a trespasser at night with poaching equipment and criminal damage.

Police forces from ac Hampshire teamed up to tackle suspected poaching activity in the area with the use of a helicopter from the National Police Air Service.

The sting is believed to be part of the Operation Galileo, a scheme that aims to tackle poaching in a coordinated way by sharing information and working across force boundaries. 

They have been released under investigation and enquiries continue.