Cocaine seized at UN headquarters.

A bag containing 16kg (35.5lb) of cocaine was found at the United Nations headquarters in New York last week, police have said, according to BBC.

The drugs were in a bag printed with a version of the UN symbol which arrived at the organization's mailroom, setting off a security alert.

The white bag raised suspicions when it was being scanned because a poor imitation of a UN logo had been stamped on it, apparently in an attempt to pass it off as official baggage.

Inside the bag, the drug was hidden in hollowed-out notebooks, UN undersecretary-general for safety and security, Gregory Starr, told reporters.

UN spokesman Martin Nesirky told AP news agency that neither the UN nor anyone located at its headquarters was the intended recipient of the shipment.