Spanish authorities have intercepted 2.6 tonnes of cocaine concealed in a shipment of coconuts from Ghana, marking another major overseas drug seizure involving cargo traced to the country’s ports.
Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the consignment following investigations that traced the shipment from the Port of Valencia to a warehouse in Almería.
The cocaine was concealed in two containers of coconuts that were loaded at the Tema Port on August 2.
The containers arrived at the Port of Valencia 20 days later, where customs officials and the Guardia Civil flagged them for inspection after identifying them as high-risk consignments for drug trafficking.
A thorough search revealed packages of cocaine hidden beneath false bottoms fitted into the wooden crates used to transport the coconuts.
Subsequent tests confirmed that the seized white substance was cocaine.
Investigators extracted the cocaine but kept the containers sealed to maintain surveillance on the shipment and identify the individuals expected to receive the cargo.
The operation led officers to two refrigerated trucks that arrived to collect the containers. Security personnel subsequently tracked the vehicles to a warehouse at the La Juaida industrial estate in Almería.
The two suspects were arrested while the consignment was being offloaded. They were identified as the alleged importer of the drugs and the individual responsible for overseeing the unloading process.
Spanish authorities released details of the seizure on Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
Another major drug seizure linked to Ghana
The latest interception in Spain adds to a growing number of overseas drug seizures involving consignments originating from Ghana.
In September 2026, French customs officials seized nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine concealed in a container transporting plastic waste from Ghana at the Port of Dunkirk. The drugs were estimated to be worth approximately €225 million, equivalent to about US$261 million.
The seizure prompted investigations in Ghana, with the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) announcing the arrest of three suspects. Several others were subsequently arrested and arraigned before the courts over their alleged involvement in the shipment.
The case has also raised concerns about export container screening procedures at the Tema Port, following reports that investigations identified irregularities in scan images before the containers were cleared for shipment.
In a separate incident, a Syrian national was arrested at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport on October 31, 2026, after arriving from Accra with approximately 40 kilogrammes of suspected cocaine concealed in two pieces of luggage.
The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) confirmed the arrest, adding that it was collaborating with Lebanese authorities to identify and apprehend other suspects believed to have been involved in the operation in Ghana.
These incidents follow a series of major drug interceptions in Europe in 2025.
In November 2025, Belgian authorities intercepted 2,829 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in a shipment of cassava flour transported from Tema to Antwerp. Another 1,158 kilogrammes of suspected cocaine originating from Ghana was seized at the same port the following month.
Earlier, in June 2025, Dutch customs officials uncovered 4.5 tonnes of cocaine hidden in a timber consignment shipped from Tema to the Port of Amsterdam. The seizure was described at the time as the largest drug haul in the port’s history.
The interceptions have not been limited to cocaine. In June 2026, Australian authorities announced the seizure of 320 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed in a consignment of charcoal shipped from Ghana.
Ghana’s Growing Exposure to International Drug Trafficking
The repeated interceptions have heightened concerns about the exploitation of Ghanaian ports and legitimate export shipments by international drug trafficking syndicates.
Data from Belgian customs, published by JoyNews Research in September 2026, ranked Ghana as the fifth-largest country of origin for cocaine seized at the Port of Antwerp in 2025.
Ghana was also the only African nation among the five leading countries identified in the figures.
The classification is based on the country from which the consignments were shipped, rather than the actual place of production of the cocaine. According to the report, the drugs were believed to have originated from South America before being concealed in legitimate export cargo.
Separately, a JoyNews tally published in September recorded 28 narcotics-related cases linked to Ghana since January 2025, including 11 involving cocaine. The cocaine seizures for which weights were made public amounted to approximately 15.8 tonnes.
The September 2026 seizure in France also prompted President John Dramani Mahama to convene a meeting with security chiefs and direct the formation of an inter-agency task force to assess the country’s narcotics detection systems at ports and borders.
The repeated interceptions have intensified scrutiny of cargo screening procedures, intelligence-sharing and coordination among state agencies responsible for protecting Ghana’s ports and international supply chains.
