Spain Seizes 2.6 Tonnes of Cocaine Hidden in Coconut Shipment from Tema Port; Two Arrested in Almería

Spanish authorities have seized 2.6 tonnes of cocaine concealed in a shipment of coconuts dispatched from Ghana’s Tema Port, in the latest in a string of major narcotics interceptions across Europe involving cargo originating from the West African nation.

The operation, carried out by the Tax Agency’s Customs Surveillance Service and the Guardia Civil, resulted in the arrest of two men in the province of Almería—identified as the suspected importer of the goods and the person responsible for supervising their unloading . Spanish authorities released details of the seizure on Wednesday, November 11, 2026 .

From Tema to Valencia: A High-Risk Container

The two containers were loaded at Tema Port on August 2, 2026, and arrived at the Port of Valencia on August 22 aboard a container ship . The Entry Summary Unit of the Customs Surveillance Service flagged the shipment as presenting a high risk profile during routine monitoring of international trade .

During inspection, investigators discovered false bottoms built into the wooden crates used to transport the declared cargo—coconuts. Beneath these false compartments, officers found a layer of packages of the type commonly used to transport cocaine in each box. Field tests using a “narcotest” confirmed the white powder was cocaine hydrochloride .

Surveillance and Arrests

Rather than simply seizing the drugs, investigators removed the cocaine but left the containers sealed, allowing them to monitor the cargo and identify those who would eventually take delivery . The containers were transferred to two refrigerated lorries, which were followed to a warehouse at the La Juaida industrial estate in Almería .

Officers conducted surveillance of the unloading operation before making the arrests. The two detained men were identified as the importer and the individual responsible for receiving the shipment . The operation involved Customs Surveillance units from Valencia and Almería, alongside the Guardia Civil’s Organised Crime and Fiscal and Border Analysis units .

A Growing Pattern of Ghana-Linked Seizures

The Valencia interception adds to a mounting list of drug seizures across Europe and beyond involving consignments traced to Ghanaian ports. In September 2026, French customs at Dunkirk seized nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine concealed in a container of plastic waste from Ghana, valued at approximately €225 million (about US$261 million) . The case triggered arrests in Ghana, with the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) detaining suspects allegedly linked to Dutch fugitive Jos Leijdekkers, known as “Bolle Jos” .

Belgian customs data placed Ghana as the fifth-largest country of origin for cocaine seized at the Port of Antwerp in 2025—the only African nation among the top five, alongside Ecuador, Costa Rica, Brazil and Colombia . Belgian authorities intercepted 2,829 kilogrammes of cocaine in cassava flour from Tema in November 2025, followed by another 1,158 kilogrammes in December .

Earlier, in June 2025, Dutch customs seized 4.5 tonnes of cocaine hidden in a timber consignment from Tema at the Port of Amsterdam—described at the time as the largest seizure in the port’s history . In June 2026, Australian authorities intercepted 320 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed in charcoal shipped from Ghana .

Ghana’s Response Under Scrutiny

The recurring interceptions have intensified scrutiny of Ghana’s port security and cargo inspection systems. Following the Dunkirk seizure, President John Dramani Mahama convened an urgent meeting of security chiefs and directed the formation of an inter-agency task force to develop a national roadmap for preventing narcotics trafficking through Ghana’s borders . Ten individuals, including four officers of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, were detained in connection with that investigation .

Prosecution records in the Dunkirk-linked case indicated that scanners flagged abnormalities during pre-export checks at Tema, yet operators cleared the containers without secondary inspections—raising questions about possible complicity or negligence among personnel responsible for border security .

The classification of Ghana as a “country of origin” in customs data refers to the point where containers were loaded, not where the cocaine was produced. The narcotics are understood to originate from South America’s Andean region and are concealed within legitimate export commodities .

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Reporter’s note: The two arrested men have not been publicly named. The cocaine has been seized as evidence. The 2.6-tonne figure is as confirmed by Spain’s Tax Agency and Guardia Civil. Ghanaian authorities have not publicly commented on the Valencia seizure at the time of publication.