$6.9 Million Cocaine Haul Seized at Tema Harbour as Ghana Police Widen Crackdown on Drug Networks

Ghana Police intercepted 866 parcels of suspected cocaine concealed inside sacks of gari at the Tema Harbour enclave on August 5, 2026, arresting three suspects, including a Dutch national, in an operation the Tema Regional Police Command says had an estimated street value of US$6.928 million.

How the Operation Unfolded
Briefing journalists in Tema on August 6, Tema Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Eric Asamoah Asiedu, said the command received credible intelligence at about 7:50 p.m. on August 5 that individuals were loading parcels of a white powdered substance concealed in sacks of gari into a 40-foot container at a warehouse within the Tema Harbour enclave, apparently in preparation for export.

Police moved on the tip immediately, arresting three suspects a Dutch national and two Ghanaians who were allegedly supervising the loading of the sacks, which also included konkonte, into the container.

DCOP Asiedu said the operation demonstrated the command's determination to disrupt drug trafficking networks through intelligence-led policing and close collaboration with the public. The consignment was intercepted before the container could leave the country

A Second Operation the Same Day
The Tema Harbour bust was not an isolated action. A separate operation carried out at Tsopoli on the same day, August 5, led to the arrest of a fourth suspect and the seizure of four sacks of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp (cannabis). Police framed the two operations together as evidence of a coordinated, intelligence-driven push against trafficking networks operating in and around the Tema region.

Part of a Wider Crackdown on Transnational Trafficking Through Ghana's Ports

The Tema Harbour seizure lands amid a sustained campaign by Ghanaian security agencies against transnational drug trafficking routed through the country's ports. In June 2026, the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) and the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) announced the arrest of a key suspect linked to a 320-kilogramme methamphetamine shipment valued at approximately US$296 million, which had been concealed in charcoal containers shipped from Ghana and was later intercepted by Australian authorities.

Ghana's ports have also faced scrutiny over other forms of smuggling. In March 2026, nine people were arrested at Tema Port after a joint re-examination by Customs officers and the Central Revenue Monitoring Team uncovered large quantities of undeclared Tramadol tablets concealed among legitimate household goods in a shipping container a discovery that prompted the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to reaffirm its zero-tolerance stance on illegal imports and the misuse of public office.

Separately, GRA Customs officers have continued routine seizures of uncustomed goods at Tema Port as part of ongoing efforts to curb smuggling and ensure duties are paid on imports .

A Regional and Global Pattern
The concealment of narcotics inside legitimate agricultural exports as seen in the gari sacks used in the Tema Harbour case mirrors tactics documented elsewhere in the region; in a separate case reported around the same period, smugglers were found attempting to move cannabis worth £4.3 million into the United Kingdom concealed within gari shipments.

Globally, port and maritime authorities continue to report a rise in narcotics trafficking exploiting commercial freight and shipping routes, from cocaine concealed in vessel sea chests intercepted in Portugal to large-scale seizures at ports across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, underscoring the scale of the challenge facing customs and police agencies at every major port, including Tema.

Mustapha Bature Sallama
Medical/Science communicator, Private Investigator, Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Analysis,United States Institute of Peace (USIP), [email protected] +233555275880

References
Graphic Online, "Tema: Seized suspected cocaine in port enclave has street value of US$6.928 million - Police" https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/tema-seized-suspected-cocaine-in-port-enclave-has-street-value-of-us-6-928-million-police.html

Asaase Radio, "866 cocaine parcels hidden in gari sacks seized at Tema Harbour, three arrested" https://asaaseradio.com/866-cocaine-parcels-hidden-in-gari-sacks-seized-at-tema-harbour-three-arrested/

Pulse Ghana, "Dutch national, 2 Ghanaians arrested as Police seize 866 parcels of suspected cocaine hidden in gari at Tema Port" https://www.pulse.com.gh/story/police-seize-866-parcels-cocaine-tema-port-2026080611265668615

Graphic Online, "9 Arrested at Tema Port over undeclared Tramadol seizure" https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-news-9-arrested-at-tema-port-over-undeclared-tramadol-seizure.html

Ghana Crimes, "Customs officers seize contraband goods at Tema Port" https://www.ghanacrimes.com/white-collar-crime/customs-seize-uncustomed-goods-tema-port-1780277433158

Portugal Resident, "Four-tonne cocaine haul caps Portugal's record crackdown" https://www.portugalresident.com/four-tonne-cocaine-haul-caps-portugals-record-crackdown

UNODC, "Global Maritime Crime Programme" https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/piracy/index.html