Shipping more than 400 gas cylinders has proved costly for one man as he was jailed for eight months.

Alexander Osei-Kofi, 41, of White Hart Lane, had intended to send the cylinders of petroleum gas to Ghana from Felixstowe, in Suffolk.

The gas was worth more than £14,000 and Osei-Kofi had planned to ship the containers on October 9, 2014.

Officers from the British Transport Police found discovered 455 liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and other gas cylinders, which belonged to Calor Gas, Flogas, EnerGas, and several other suppliers.

The 41-year-old had claimed the cargo included television sets, bikes, furniture, gas cookers and personal effects. However, no mention was made in the form of any dangerous goods, as required by haulage and shipping authorities.

In court, Recorder King told Osei-Kofi: "You were prepared to place the cylinders in a container which was going to be placed on a ship. This is a very clear and serious matter, and one where a custodial sentence is warranted.”

Detective Inspector Anthony Jones, who led the investigation, said: “This case, and the successful conviction of Osei-Kofi, demonstrates the expertise of BTP’s Metal Theft Unit, which specialises in often complex crimes related to the theft of metal, cable and containers across the country.

“Our officers undertook a specialist operation over the course of several months, which enabled us to establish where the stolen canisters were coming from, how they were being transported, and who was responsible.

“Working closely with Border Force, the Port of Felixstowe, Metropolitan Police Services, and a number of partner agencies, we were able to execute a warrant and bring this case to court, and the potential for a catastrophic disaster was averted by the actions of the agencies involved.”

Osei-Kofi was sentenced for six counts of theft, one count of causing the carriage of dangerous goods, and another of attempting to ship dangerous cargo. He pleaded guilty to the charges at an earlier appearance.