A multimillion dollar drug bust has seen 175kg (385lbs) of cocaine seized in a shipment of Colombian bananas that reached a U.K. port.

In a joint investigation between Britain's Border Force and the National Crime Agency (NCA), officers seized the high purity cocaine, hidden on board a ship carrying the fruit from South America.

The cocaine, which has an estimated street value of £8.7 million (US$14.6 million) was en route to Belgium and was discovered when the vessel docked at the south English port of Portsmouth, according to a release.

Following a 24-hour search of the ship, NCA investigators found the cocaine was split into small packages and stashed amongst cardboard boxes of bananas.

"This seizure has prevented a vast quantity of cocaine from reaching its destination", Border Force South Regional Director Carole Upshall said in the release.

"We are committed to playing our part in the fight against serious and organized crime and are on constant alert at the borders to prevent the trade in drugs like cocaine.

"Working with the National Crime Agency, we are determined to do all we can to tackle the criminal groups behind smuggling."

Malcolm Bragg from the NCA's Border Policing Command said the joint operation was an example of intelligence-led, coordinated action used to protect the U.K.'s borders.

"We will continue to work closely with partners here and overseas to tackle the illegal drug trade," Bragg added.

Border Force and the NCA also received support from the French and Belgian authorities.

At the time of writing, no arrests had been made and the investigation was ongoing.

While the amount of drugs found is substantial, it is only a small fraction of an historic cocaine seizure in Spain last month involving Costa Rican pineapples.

Anyone with information about activity they suspect may be linked to smuggling should call the smuggling hotline in Britain on 0800 59 5000.

Photo: U.S. Government Archives

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