Helen Burchell

BBC News Essex

Cocaine with a street value of almost £100m has been seized by Border Force officers in "one of the largest drugs busts of the past decade".

The shipment was intercepted earlier this month on a container vessel arriving at London Gateway port from Panama.

Border Force officials and staff at the port in Stanford-le-Hope, Essex, had to move 37 large containers to locate the 2.4-tonne haul.

Worth an estimated £96m, it was the sixth largest cocaine seizure since records began, the Home Office said.

Specialist maritime officers intercepted the drugs after an "intelligence-led operation".

Border Force said in a statement: "The interception strikes a significant financial and operational blow against the organised crime groups behind its importation and is an example of an intelligence driven outcome to disrupt criminal supply chains."

Charlie Eastaugh, the organisation's maritime director, said: "This seizure - one of the largest of its kind - is just one example of how dedicated Border Force maritime officers remain one step ahead of the criminal gangs who threaten our security.

"Our message to these criminals is clear. More than ever before, we are using intelligence and international law enforcement co-operation to disrupt and dismantle your operations."

He added there were also training programmes across Latin America to help prevent the drugs entering British shores.