Ghana has emerged as the fifth-largest country of origin for cocaine shipments seized at the Port of Antwerp in Belgium in 2025, according to Belgian customs figures.
The country was the only African nation among the five countries linked to the seizures, with Ecuador, Costa Rica, Brazil and Colombia making up the other four.
Belgian authorities confiscated nearly 55 tonnes of cocaine at Antwerp last year, representing a 24 per cent increase from the 44 tonnes seized in 2024.
The classification of Ghana as a country of origin refers to the location where the containers were loaded and shipped, rather than where the cocaine was produced. The drug is understood to originate from the Andes region of South America and is concealed in legitimate exports.
Ghana’s position on the list was largely linked to major seizures involving consignments shipped from the Tema Port. In November 2025, Belgian authorities intercepted 2,829 kilogrammes of cocaine hidden in cassava flour from Tema. A further 1,158 kilogrammes was seized in December, bringing the two consignments to nearly four tonnes.
The development comes amid growing international concern over narcotics shipments linked to Ghana. In June 2025, Dutch customs seized 4.5 tonnes of cocaine concealed in timber from Tema, while French authorities in September 2026 intercepted almost 3.9 tonnes of cocaine in a container of plastic waste from Ghana.
The latest seizures have also triggered scrutiny of Ghana’s port security and anti-narcotics systems. President John Mahama, following the Dunkirk seizure, directed an inter-agency task force to review existing measures for detecting and preventing drug trafficking through the country’s ports and borders.
Meanwhile, the Interior Minister, Muntaka Mubarak, has raised concerns about suspected insiders within security agencies allegedly compromising intelligence-sharing arrangements with foreign partners.
The Narcotics Control Commission has also warned that Ghana’s role in the drug trade is evolving, with authorities reporting increased arrests and describing the country as increasingly being used as a distribution hub.
