Spanish law enforcement authorities seized 2.6 tonnes of cocaine concealed in a shipment of coconuts from Ghana, arresting two men suspected of involvement in the importation and distribution of the drugs. The cocaine was discovered in two shipping containers loaded at the Tema Port on 2 August 2026 and transported to the Port of Valencia, where they arrived on 22 August.
A joint operation involving Spain’s Guardia Civil and the Customs Surveillance Service of the country’s Tax Agency led to the seizure after the containers were flagged for inspection because they presented a high risk of drug trafficking. Investigators found that the cocaine had been concealed beneath false bottoms fitted into wooden crates used to transport the coconuts. Packages containing a white powder hidden underneath the false compartments were subsequently tested and confirmed as cocaine.
Rather than immediately release information about the discovery, investigators removed the narcotics, resealed the containers and placed the consignment under surveillance to identify the individuals expected to take delivery of the shipment. The operation led authorities to two refrigerated trucks that arrived to collect the containers. Officers tracked the vehicles to a warehouse at the La Juaida industrial estate in Viator, in Spain’s Almería province, where the two suspects were arrested while the cargo was being unloaded.
The suspects were identified as the alleged importer of the consignment and the individual responsible for supervising its unloading. The operation involved units of Spain’s Customs Surveillance Service in Valencia and Almería, alongside the Guardia Civil’s Organised Crime Unit and its Fiscal and Border Analysis and Investigation Unit. Spanish authorities announced details of the seizure on Wednesday, 11 November, although the operation was conducted in August.
The latest interception places renewed attention on the use of Ghana’s maritime export routes in international narcotics trafficking. However, Spanish authorities have not disclosed whether any suspects have been identified or arrested in Ghana in connection with the consignment, or whether Ghanaian law enforcement agencies participated in the investigation.
Authorities will continue to monitor the case and cooperate with Ghanaian counterparts to trace the full supply chain and prevent further illicit trafficking through Ghanaian ports.
