Ghana ranked fifth among the countries listed as the origin of cocaine shipments seized at Belgium’s Port of Antwerp in 2025, according to data from Belgian customs.
Figures presented by Belgian Finance Minister Jan Jambon in January 2026 showed that customs officials seized nearly 55 tonnes of cocaine at the port during the year, representing a 24 per cent increase over the 44 tonnes intercepted in 2024.
Ghana was the only African country to feature among the five countries identified in the customs data. Ecuador, Costa Rica, Brazil and Colombia occupied the other positions.
However, the classification does not necessarily indicate where the cocaine was produced.
Under Belgian customs terminology, the “country of origin” refers to the location where the container was loaded and dispatched. Therefore, Ghana’s inclusion in the ranking does not mean the cocaine seized was manufactured in Ghana.
Belgian authorities have indicated that the cocaine intercepted at Antwerp originated from South America, highlighting the distinction between the source of the drugs and the shipping origin recorded by customs.
Major cocaine seizures linked to Ghana
Ghana’s position in the Antwerp data comes after several major cocaine seizures involving consignments shipped from Tema.
On November 28, 2025, Belgian customs intercepted 2,829 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in a container carrying cassava flour from Ghana’s Tema Port.
Another shipment from Ghana led to the seizure of 1,158 kilogrammes of suspected cocaine in December 2025. Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) subsequently arrested three individuals in connection with the consignment following intelligence-sharing and joint operations with Belgian authorities.
The two seizures together accounted for almost four tonnes of cocaine, representing approximately seven per cent of the total quantity intercepted at Antwerp during 2025, according to JoyNews Research.
Ghana-linked drug seizures recorded in other countries
The Antwerp figures form part of a broader series of international narcotics cases involving consignments linked to Ghana.
In June 2025, Dutch authorities seized about 4.5 tonnes of cocaine hidden 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 flagged for inspection following a risk assessment.
In June 2026, Australian authorities also intercepted about 320 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed in bags of charcoal inside two shipping containers that had arrived from Ghana. The drugs were estimated by Australian authorities to have a street value of approximately A$296 million. NACOC later announced the arrest of a suspected lead shipper in Ghana as investigations into the case continued.
Another major seizure occurred at France’s Port of Dunkirk on September 10, 2026, when customs officials intercepted almost 3.9 tonnes of cocaine hidden inside a container carrying plastic waste from Ghana.
French authorities estimated the value of the cocaine at about €225 million. Reports indicated that part of the shipment was destined for Antwerp.
The Dunkirk seizure subsequently led to investigations in Ghana. NACOC announced arrests linked to the consignment, while four Ghanaian nationals were later arraigned before the Accra High Court over allegations relating to the exportation of narcotic drugs. The case is still before the court.
What the Antwerp ranking means
The Belgian customs data places Ghana among the countries most frequently associated with cocaine shipments intercepted at Antwerp in 2025.
However, the figures should not be interpreted as evidence that Ghana produces cocaine or that the drugs seized were manufactured locally. The classification is based on the shipping origin of the containers intercepted by Belgian customs.
Belgian authorities have also highlighted how drug trafficking networks are changing their routes, including the movement of South American cocaine through West Africa before onward shipment to European markets.
The repeated seizures involving Ghana-linked consignments have consequently increased attention on cargo screening, port security and international cooperation as authorities seek to disrupt transnational drug trafficking networks.
By: Prince Martey-Sogar.