The largest ever haul of class A drugs in the UK worth £450 million has been seized in a load of bananas at Southampton Port.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) and Border Force seized 5.7 tonnes of cocaine found in a container carrying the fruit from South America on February 8.

The NCA has said the illicit drugs were heading to the Port of Hamburg in Germany for onward delivery.

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NCA Inquiries are ongoing with international partners across Europe and the agency works to identify the criminal networks involved.

Based on UK street-level prices the cocaine would likely have had an estimated value of £450 million.

The previous largest UK seizure was 3.7 tonnes of cocaine which was found at Southampton in 2022.

NCA director Chris Farrimond said: “This record-breaking seizure will represent a huge hit to the international organised crime cartels involved, denying them massive profits.

“While the destination for the consignment was continental Europe in this case, I have no doubt that a significant proportion would have ended up back here in the UK, being peddled by gangs.

“The NCA is targeting international networks upstream and overseas, disrupting and dismantling them at every step. International law enforcement co-operation is essential to this mission.

“Working closely with UK partners like Border Force, we are determined to do all we can to protect the UK public.”

The NCA has said that the domestic cocaine market is dominated by criminal gangs who it believes to be making around £4 billion a year in the UK alone.

Minister for legal migration and the border, Tom Pursglove, said: “This Government takes a zero-tolerance approach to the supply of illegal drugs, and I am grateful to dedicated Border Force officers and the NCA for their work to apprehend this record-breaking seizure.

“This seizure sends a clear message to criminals that they will be caught.

“Our Border Force officers continue to work relentlessly to protect our borders and ensure the safety and security of the public.”