Ghana was ranked as the fifth-largest country of origin for cocaine seizures recorded at the Port of Antwerp in Belgium in 2025, according to data released by Belgian customs.
The figures, presented by Belgian Finance Minister Jan Jambon in January 2026, indicate that Belgian customs seized nearly 55 tonnes of cocaine at the Port of Antwerp in 2025. This represents a 24% increase compared with the 44 tonnes intercepted in 2024.
Ghana was the only African country to feature among the top five countries listed in the customs data. Ecuador, Costa Rica, Brazil and Colombia occupied the other positions.
Ghana’s Cocaine Ranking Requires Context
Belgian customs uses the term “country of origin” to describe the country from which a container was loaded and shipped. The classification does not necessarily mean that the cocaine itself was produced in that country.
Belgian authorities have indicated that most of the cocaine seized at Antwerp originated in South America. Therefore, Ghana’s ranking in the 2025 data does not establish that cocaine was manufactured in Ghana.
Instead, the figures point to Ghana being identified as the shipping origin of containers intercepted by Belgian authorities.
Major Cocaine Seizures Linked to Ghana
Ghana’s inclusion in the top five followed several major cocaine seizures involving shipments from Tema Port.
On November 28, 2025, Belgian customs intercepted 2,829 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in a container carrying cassava flour. The shipment had arrived from Ghana’s Tema Port.
In December 2025, another shipment from Ghana led to the seizure of approximately 1,158 kilogrammes of suspected cocaine. Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) subsequently arrested three suspects in connection with the consignment following a joint intelligence operation with Belgian authorities.
The two seizures together accounted for almost four tonnes of cocaine, representing roughly 7% of the total cocaine seized at the Port of Antwerp in 2025, according to JoyNews Research.
Ghana-Linked Drug Shipments Under International Scrutiny
The Antwerp seizures are part of a wider series of major international drug trafficking cases involving consignments shipped from Ghana.
In June 2025, Dutch authorities seized approximately 4.5 tonnes of cocaine concealed in a timber shipment at the Port of Amsterdam. The seizure was described as the largest cocaine interception in the port’s history. The container had arrived from West Africa and was selected for inspection following a risk assessment.
In June 2026, Australian authorities intercepted approximately 320 kilogrammes of methamphetamine hidden inside bags of charcoal in two shipping containers that had arrived from Ghana. The drugs were estimated to have a street value of approximately A$296 million.
Following the Australian seizure, NACOC announced the arrest of a suspected lead shipper in Ghana as investigations into the international narcotics network continued.
France Seizes Nearly Four Tonnes of Cocaine From Ghana Shipment
The international focus on Ghana-linked narcotics shipments intensified in September 2026 when French customs seized nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine at the Port of Dunkirk.
The cocaine was concealed inside a container carrying plastic waste that had arrived from Ghana. French authorities valued the shipment at approximately €225 million, with reports indicating that part of the consignment was destined for Antwerp.
The seizure triggered further investigations in Ghana. NACOC announced arrests linked to the shipment, while four Ghanaian nationals were later arraigned before the Accra High Court over alleged narcotics exportation offences.
The case remains before the court.
Ghana Not Identified as a Cocaine-Producing Country
The latest Belgian customs data places Ghana among the countries most frequently identified in connection with cocaine shipments intercepted at Antwerp Port in 2025.
However, the figures should not be interpreted as evidence that Ghana produces cocaine.
Rather, Belgian customs’ classification reflects the shipping origin of containers that were intercepted. Authorities have repeatedly indicated that much of the cocaine moving through these international trafficking networks originates in South America.
Drug trafficking organisations are also increasingly changing their routes, with South American cocaine being transported through West Africa before being shipped onward to European markets.
The growing number of major narcotics seizures involving Ghana-linked shipments has increased calls for stronger cargo screening, port security, customs enforcement and international cooperation.
Authorities in Ghana and other countries continue to work with international law enforcement agencies to disrupt transnational drug trafficking networks and prevent illicit narcotics from reaching European, Asian and other global markets.
Source: newsthemegh.com