Dover; Huge Cocaine Seizure

15 January 2014, 18:15 | Updated: 15 January 2014, 18:18

Cocaine potentially worth millions of pounds has been seized at one of Britain's main gateways in a lorry carrying a cargo of plastics.

Around 138lb (63kg) of the Class A drug were found in bags in the cab of the Swiss-registered vehicle at the Port of Dover in Kent.

Border Force officials said that once cut and sold on the streets, the potential value of the drug could have run into millions of pounds.

Two Italian men, lorry driver Santo Virgadaula and passenger Giambattista Rovillo, both 53, were charged in connection with the importation following Monday's seizure.

They were both remanded in custody when they appeared at Folkestone Magistrates' Court yesterday and will appear at Canterbury Crown Court on February 3.

The case has been passed to the National Crime Agency for further investigation.

Paul Morgan, director of Border Force South East and Europe, described it as a "significant seizure''.