British Border Force has seized 2.4 tonnes of cocaine worth almost £100m at London’s Gateway port.
The huge haul was found under a container on a ship that arrived at the port from Panama, the Home Office said.
It is one of the biggest drug seizures in Britain in recent years.
“I congratulate Border Force officers on a hugely successful operation, which has dealt a major blow to the criminals who threaten our country,” said Immigration and Citizenship Minister Seema Malhotra.
She said drug gangs trying to smuggle illegal substances into the UK were a scourge on society and stressed that authorities would “leave no stone unturned” in their pursuit of organised crime networks that bring addiction, misery and death to British communities.
Officers discovered the shipment earlier this month after carrying out an intelligence-led operation.
With the help of the port operator, they moved 37 large containers to get to the narcotics, the PA media agency reported.
