TWO men have been charged with importing more than £1 million worth of cocaine after allegedly breaking into a container terminal.

Albanian nationals Mariglen Bajraktari, 20, and Romario Vukzaj, 23, were arrested after port workers in Tilbury alerted police on Tuesday.

Border Force officers found 16 kilos of cocaine in a refrigerated container which had arrived at the London Container Terminal from Belize last Friday.

Investigators from the National Crime Agency (NCA) said the drugs have a potential street value of more than £1 million.

NCA branch commander Jacque Beer said: "We always encourage port workers to alert us to any suspicious activity that they see in the course of their duties.

"I'm delighted that on this occasion their vigilance has led to the seizure of a substantial amount of cocaine."

Bajraktari and Vukzaj, of no fixed address, appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court today and were remanded in custody until they appear at Basildon Crown Court on June 3.

The pair are both charged with the possession and importation of a class A drugs.