Border force officers at Harwich have seized more than 32kg of amphetamine being smuggled into the Essex port.

East Anglian Daily Times: A 26-year-old man was arrested following the drugs seizure . Picture: BORDER FORCEA 26-year-old man was arrested following the drugs seizure . Picture: BORDER FORCE (Image: Archant)

The class B drugs were discovered by officers at Harwich International Port on Tuesday, December 5, after they stopped a Dutch registered lorry as it came into the country and X-rayed its trailer.

Officers then conducted a physical search and uncovered a cardbox box which contained five green, tape-wrapped packages.

The packages later tested positive for amphetamine.

A 26-year-old man was arrested and the investigation was taken over by the National Crime Agency (NCA).

East Anglian Daily Times: The packages were discovered after Border Force officers conducted an x-ray of the trailer. Picture: BORDER FORCEThe packages were discovered after Border Force officers conducted an x-ray of the trailer. Picture: BORDER FORCE (Image: Archant)

He has since been released while investigations continue.

Mick Holmes, Border Force assistant director, said: “This large detection has kept a substantial amount of amphetamine off the streets and out of the hands of those who seek to profit from illegal drugs.

“We will not know the true value of the drugs until they have been tested for purity.

“My officers do excellent work at ports across the UK to secure our borders and work closely with other law enforcement agencies, like the NCA, to prevent drug trafficking.”

Border Force officers use hi-tech search equipment to combat immigration crime and detect banned and restricted goods smugglers attempt to bring into the UK.

They use sniffer dogs, carbon dioxide detectors, heartbeat monitors and scanners, as well as visual searches, to uncover well-hidden stowaways, illegal drugs, firearms and tobacco which would otherwise end up causing harm to local people, businesses and communities.

Anyone with information about activity they suspect may be linked to smuggling should call 0800 59 5000.