A fishing boat packed with 4.2 tonnes of almost pure cocaine has been seized.

The drugs – worth hundreds of millions of pounds on the streets – were destined for Britain and Europe.

A boat under a Venezuelan flag was stopped off the coast of Barbados.

It was boarded by a French naval vessel docked on the island of Martinique.

The eight crew members were arrested.

Investigators from the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) played a key role in the operation.

Its network supplied intelligence about the fishing boat and its cargo.

French Frigate Germinal

Tom Dowdall, head of NCA International, said:

“The role played by the NCA in identifying and locating the vessel was critical to the success of the operation.

“We were able to ensure that the boat was intercepted by our partners, in this case the French Navy.

“Working with our European partners we have stopped a huge haul of drugs from making it onto the European market.

“I’ve no doubt some of that would have ended up in the UK in the hands of criminal gangs also engaged in violence and exploitation.

“A seizure of this size will have a dramatic impact on the organised crime groups involved and deprive them of huge profits.”

The operation strengthens the working relationship between Britain and European law enforcement agencies following Brexit.

Some feared intelligence would not be shared.