The drugs, seized from a vessel in Piraeus port yesterday, were found with the help of the Homeland Security Investigations unit of the US embassy in Athens, the coast guard added in a statement.

Authorities found about 35kg of cocaine in 30 packages hidden in the cooling system of the container which was filled with a shipment of bananas from Ecuador.

South American production of cocaine has surged over the past decade, with Balkan traffickers helping to turn Europe into the world’s biggest market for the drug.

In May, Greek authorities said they had dismantled an international criminal group trafficking cocaine in shipping containers from Latin America to Europe.

Days later, they confiscated more than 109kg of cocaine hidden in a container with frozen squid aboard another vessel that was inspected at Piraeus port.