Spanish law enforcement authorities have intercepted 2.6 tonnes of suspected cocaine hidden in two shipping containers shipped from Ghana, leading to the arrest of two people in connection with the consignment.

The drugs were discovered at the Port of Valencia after the containers, which originated from the Port of Tema, were flagged for inspection during routine customs checks.

In a statement issued on November 11, 2026, Spain’s Tax Agency and Civil Guard said the two suspects were arrested in Viator, in the province of Almeria, over their alleged roles in importing and unloading the shipment.

The suspects were identified as the importer of the cargo and the person allegedly responsible for unloading it.

Investigators said the cocaine had been concealed beneath false bottoms constructed inside wooden boxes used to transport coconuts. The containers had been declared as carrying coconuts.

Records showed that the containers were loaded at the Port of Tema on August 2, 2026, and arrived at the Port of Valencia on August 22 aboard a container ship.

The shipment was selected for further examination after the Entry Summary Unit of Spain’s Customs Surveillance service classified it as high-risk under routine international trade monitoring procedures.

A physical inspection uncovered specially constructed compartments beneath the wooden boxes, where officers found the cocaine hidden.

Following the discovery, investigators placed the containers under surveillance as they were transferred from the port into two refrigerated trucks.

The vehicles were tracked to an industrial warehouse at the La Juaida industrial estate in Viator, Almeria, where the suspects were arrested after authorities monitored the premises.

The operation was jointly conducted by the Valencia and Almeria Operational Units of Customs Surveillance, the Civil Guard’s Organised Crime Unit and its Fiscal and Border Analysis and Investigation Unit in Valencia.

Ghana faces renewed scrutiny over cocaine shipments

The seizure adds to growing concerns over large cocaine consignments intercepted in Europe after being shipped from Ghana.

In September 2026, French customs officials seized nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine at the Port of Dunkirk in northern France.

The drugs were concealed in a shipping container carrying plastic waste that had arrived from Ghana. The discovery prompted Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission to open an investigation into the movement of the consignment through the country.

In the latest Spanish operation, authorities have not identified any Ghanaian suspects or confirmed whether arrests have been made in Ghana.

Spain’s Tax Agency said investigations were continuing to determine whether the two arrested individuals had connections to money-laundering networks and other logistical operations within Spain.

Authorities are also seeking to establish the wider network behind the attempted importation of the 2.6-tonne cocaine shipment.