Cocaine with an estimated street value of £17 million has been seized at Tilbury docks.
The class A drugs, which the UK Border Force said were shipped from Senegal, were destined for Belgium but were picked up by officers when the vessel carrying them docked at Tilbury.
The 168kg haul had been concealed within two canvas-topped containers carrying a legitimate cargo of tin alloys.
The seizure took place on March 15 but details could not be released until today for "operational reasons". An investigation is still under way.
Mark Kennedy, Border Force Assistant Director at Tilbury, said: "This is undoubtedly a major detection of drugs which will have severely damaged the illegal business of those involved.
"Although ultimately bound for Belgium, there is no doubt that the drugs would have spread further afield and a large chunk would almost certainly have found its way back to the UK.
The drugs were stashed inside seven holdalls – three in one container and four in the other.
Mr Kennedy added: "There was no elaborate concealment, the holdalls had simply been placed on top of the legitimate cargo to allow the smugglers easy access.
"Their plan would have been to break into the containers, remove the drugs, fit a replacement seal and get away very quickly leaving no evidence that they'd ever been there.
Anyone with information about suspected smuggling should contact 0800 595 000.
