Dutch national, 2 Ghanaians arrested as Police seize 866 parcels of suspected cocaine hidden in gari at Tema Port

• Police intercepted 866 parcels of suspected cocaine hidden in sacks of gari at Tema Port.

• Three suspects, including a Dutch national and two Ghanaians, were arrested during the intelligence-led operation.

• The seizure comes amid intensified efforts by Ghana's security agencies to dismantle transnational drug trafficking networks.

The operation was carried out at about 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, leading to the arrest of three suspects, including a Dutch national and two Ghanaians.

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According to Graphic Online, the suspects were arrested while allegedly supervising the loading of sacks of gari and konkonte into a 40-foot container for export at a warehouse within the Tema Port enclave.

The report by Benjamin Xornam Glover said the operation was intelligence-led, enabling police to intercept the suspected narcotics before the container could leave the country.

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The latest seizure comes amid a sustained crackdown by Ghanaian security agencies on transnational drug trafficking. 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 about US$296 million, that was intercepted by Australian authorities after being concealed in charcoal containers shipped from Ghana.

The agencies described the arrest as a major breakthrough in efforts to dismantle an international drug syndicate and indicated that further arrests were expected as investigations continued across multiple countries.

The three suspects arrested in the latest operation, together with the truck used to transport the consignment and the intercepted parcels, remain in police custody to assist with investigations.

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Police are yet to issue an official statement on the operation or disclose the intended destination of the shipment. The suspected cocaine is expected to undergo forensic analysis to confirm its composition.