British border officials have seized about five tonnes of cocaine valued at approximately $540 million at London Gateway port.

The drugs were discovered during a series of operations conducted in February and March, according to a statement by the Home Office.

Authorities said the largest single seizure involved nearly three tonnes of cocaine hidden in a banana shipment, with smugglers attempting to disguise the drugs by replicating the shape and weight of banana boxes.

In a separate operation, an additional one tonne of cocaine worth about £80 million was found concealed in a shipping container carrying wine from South America.

The UK’s Border Force reported that the seizures highlight ongoing efforts to combat large-scale drug trafficking through ports.

Officials added that nearly 150 tonnes of illegal drugs were intercepted by Border Force in the year ending March, underscoring the scale of the challenge.