Ghana’s port security arrangements have come under renewed scrutiny following the seizure of 2.6 tonnes of cocaine concealed in two containers of coconuts shipped from Tema Port to Valencia, Spain.
The operation, conducted jointly by Spain’s Tax Agency and Civil Guard, resulted in the arrest of two men suspected of involvement in importing and unloading the consignment.
The containers were loaded at Tema Port on August 2, 2026, and arrived at the Port of Valencia on August 22, but Spanish authorities only publicly disclosed details of the operation on Wednesday, November 11.
The latest interception adds to a series of major international drug seizures involving shipments originating from Ghana, raising concerns about the effectiveness of cargo screening, intelligence gathering and security coordination at the country’s ports.
How Spanish Authorities Uncovered the Cocaine
According to Spain’s Tax Agency, the two containers were identified as high-risk consignments by the Entry Summary Unit of the Customs Surveillance Service during routine international trade monitoring.
Customs officials subsequently subjected the containers to physical examination, discovering false bottoms fitted into wooden crates carrying coconuts.
Beneath the concealed compartments were packages containing a white powder, which subsequent narcotics tests confirmed to be cocaine.
Following the seizure, Spanish investigators initiated a surveillance operation to identify those responsible for receiving the consignment.
The containers were allowed to continue their journey under surveillance, with the cargo subsequently transferred into two refrigerated trucks.
Investigators followed the trucks to a warehouse at the La Juaida industrial estate in Viator, Almería, where the two suspects were arrested as the goods were being unloaded.
Spanish authorities identified the suspects as the importer of the consignment and the individual responsible for supervising its unloading.
The operation involved specialised customs surveillance units in Valencia and Almería, alongside the Civil Guard’s organised crime and border investigation personnel.
Ghana’s Ports Under Scrutiny
The latest seizure has intensified concerns over the repeated use of Ghana-linked commercial shipments to transport substantial quantities of narcotics.
In September 2026, French customs authorities intercepted approximately 3.9 tonnes of cocaine concealed in plastic waste shipped from Ghana to the Port of Dunkirk.
The consignment was reportedly valued at €225 million, prompting investigations by Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), which subsequently announced the arrest of three suspects.
Earlier, in August, police in Tema intercepted 866 parcels of suspected cocaine concealed in sacks of gari at a warehouse within the harbour enclave.
In June 2025, Dutch authorities seized 4.5 tonnes of cocaine concealed in timber shipped from Tema to Amsterdam.
Belgian authorities also intercepted 2,829 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in cassava flour in November 2025, followed by another 1,158 kilogrammes in December.
Beyond Europe, Lebanese authorities intercepted 46.7 kilogrammes of cocaine from a passenger arriving from Accra in October 2026, while Australian authorities announced the seizure of approximately 320 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed in a charcoal shipment from Ghana earlier in the year.
Although these incidents involve separate investigations, the recurring association with Ghana’s export and transport systems has heightened concerns about possible vulnerabilities being exploited by international criminal networks.
Mahama’s Two-Week Roadmap Questioned
The Spanish interception has also revived questions about the implementation of President John Dramani Mahama’s directive following the September cocaine seizure in France.
On September 17, the President reportedly convened security chiefs and directed an inter-agency task force to develop a roadmap within two weeks to strengthen Ghana’s response to international narcotics trafficking.
With the deadline having passed, questions remain about the measures introduced, the progress made and whether the country’s port security arrangements have undergone significant improvements.
The latest development has consequently renewed attention on NACOC, the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and other security institutions responsible for monitoring cargo movements.
However, because the Spanish shipment departed Tema on August 2, before the September presidential directive, it cannot by itself establish whether measures subsequently introduced have failed.
Calls for Accountability
The seizure has attracted reactions from governance and policy analysts, who have called for stronger institutional accountability.
Executive Director of the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development, Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, has urged President Mahama to hold officials responsible for port security accountable for persistent vulnerabilities.
Democracy and Development Fellow Dr Kwame Asiedu Sarpong has also expressed concern about repeated cocaine interceptions involving Ghana-linked shipments, warning against allowing the country to become a transit point for international drug trafficking.
The incidents raise important questions about cargo risk profiling, scanning procedures, intelligence-sharing and the possibility of organised criminal networks exploiting legitimate export businesses.
However, the fact that the Spanish consignment was loaded at Tema does not establish where the cocaine was concealed or whether Ghanaian port officials were complicit.
Spanish authorities have not publicly identified Ghanaian suspects in connection with the seizure, while the available official statement does not establish whether Ghanaian authorities participated in the operation.
The latest case underscores the need for coordinated investigations between Ghanaian and international law enforcement agencies to identify those behind the trafficking networks, establish any weaknesses in the export clearance process and ensure accountability where wrongdoing is established.
