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'What exactly do authorities do at the port?' – Netizens fume over €225m cocaine bust abroad

Netizens Fume Over Drug Bust.jpeg Ghanaians question how large drug shipments continue to leave the country undetected

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Ghanaian netizens have raised fresh concerns over the country’s ports and drug control measures following the seizure of nearly 3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine by French customs officers.

The cocaine, estimated to have a street value of €225 million ($261.45 million), was discovered at the northern French port of Dunkirk after arriving in a container of plastic waste from Ghana.

Part of the shipment was reportedly destined for Antwerp.

French authorities have since destroyed the seized cocaine, while prosecutors have opened an investigation into the shipment. The judicial police had already been tracking the criminal network allegedly behind the consignment before the seizure.

The latest seizure has renewed scrutiny of Ghana’s ports, particularly after Australian authorities in June 2026 intercepted about 320 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in a shipment from Ghana.

The Australian seizure was valued at an estimated A$296 million and was described by authorities as a major intervention that prevented the drugs from reaching the country’s streets.

With the two major international drug seizures linked to shipments from Ghana occurring within months of each other, some Ghanaians have questioned how such large quantities of narcotics are able to leave the country without detection.

Media personality Godfred Akoto Boafo said the latest incident raises serious questions about the effectiveness of security measures at Ghanaian ports, particularly as investigations into the Australian seizure are yet to produce significant public results.

$261m worth of cocaine hidden in plastic waste shipment from Ghana seized in France - Report

“This is the 2nd major shipment seized abroad from here . The meth investigation has barely moved and now this.. the ports have work to do,” he wrote.

Other netizens also questioned the role of customs officers in preventing large-scale drug consignments from passing through Ghanaian ports.

“What work do our custom officers do when they go to work? @GhanaRevenue this is the second time drugs have moved from Ghana,” another netizen commented.

Another user questioned how such shipments could leave the ports without being detected by officers stationed there.

“what exactly do our officers at the port do?”

A separate comment also questioned whether those responsible for facilitating the shipments in Ghana would ever be publicly identified.

“Even if they snitch, that name won’t come out. This same country wey dem bust drugs like this wey dem tell we say dem no go fit drop the person en name,” the user wrote.

The latest seizure is likely to intensify calls for Ghanaian authorities to strengthen screening and monitoring at the country’s ports and provide clarity on how major consignments of narcotics continue to be linked to shipments originating from Ghana.













AK/AM
Source: www.ghanaweb.com