SIX men appeared in court after £50million worth of pure cocaine was found in the boot of a taxi at Tilbury docks.

Detectives seized 200kg of the class A drug from holdalls after stopping a white minicab and a white Ford van at about 2am on Tuesday.

John Parish, 29, of Fanton Chase, Wickford, Greg Spiers, 47, of London Road, Billericay, and Neil Jacques, 40, of Avondale Road, Rayleigh, were all charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine.

Danny Hannaway, 24, of Lea Road, Grays, Tony Rees, 31, of Cecil Avenue, Chafford Hundred, and Robert McGowan, 45, of Chequers Road, Loughton, also appeared in court on the same count.

Westminster Magistrates Court heard that it is thought the cocaine arrived on a ship from Brazil at Tilbury docks at around 6pm on Monday.

The drugs were then unloaded from the boat later that night.

All six men were remanded in custody and will next appear at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday, August 6, for a preliminary hearing.