Spanish Law Enforcement Intercepts 2.6 Tonnes of Cocaine Concealed in Coconut Crates Shipped from Ghana
Spanish authorities have dismantled a major international narcotics smuggling operation following the seizure of 2,600 kilograms of cocaine concealed within two shipping containers originating from Ghana at the Port of Valencia.
According to a joint press release issued by Spain’s Tax Agency and the Civil Guard, the massive drug consignment was flagged during routine trade risk assessments conducted by the Customs Surveillance Service. The cargo, officially declared as an agricultural shipment of coconuts, had been loaded at the Port of Tema on August 2, 2026, before arriving in Valencia aboard a container vessel on August 22.
During physical inspections of the consignment, investigators discovered that traffickers had constructed sophisticated false bottoms inside the wooden crates carrying the coconuts, concealing packages of white powder that later tested positive for cocaine. Rather than immediately halting the movement of the containers, tactical units removed the illicit narcotics, resealed the cargo, and placed the shipment under covert surveillance.
Authorities tracked the containers as they were transferred from the Valencia docks onto two refrigerated trucks and driven south to an industrial warehouse on the La Juaida estate in Viator, Almeria. As soon as unloading operations commenced at the warehouse, officers from the Customs Surveillance operational units and the Civil Guard’s Organized Crime unit moved in, arresting two suspects identified as the importer of the goods and the supervisor overseeing the unloading process.
Spanish officials noted that no Ghanaian nationals have yet been named in connection with the Valencia bust, and investigations remain ongoing to trace potential money laundering links and broader logistical networks across Europe.
The interception adds to a troubling series of large-scale drug seizures traced back to Ghanaian ports in recent months. In September 2026, French customs officers seized nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine hidden inside a container of plastic waste from Ghana at the Port of Dunkirk, while Australian authorities intercepted 320 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in a charcoal shipment from the country in June, intensifying calls for tighter export screening and port security measures.
Watch the video below:
The mother of Javits Frimpong broke down in tears during a public speech, saying: “I have only one child, and I need justice for him.”
#3NewsGH #TV3GH https://t.co/3ubM6qFAk6
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) November 11, 2026
Source: Thepressradio.com
