Spanish authorities have intercepted 2.6 tonnes of cocaine hidden in a shipment of coconuts from Ghana, arresting two men suspected of being involved in the attempted distribution of the drugs.

The consignment was transported in two shipping containers that departed from Ghana's Tema Port on August 2, 2026 and arrived at the Port of Valencia in Spain 20 days later.

According to information released by Spanish authorities, the containers attracted the attention of a joint team from the Guardia Civil and the Customs Surveillance Service of Spain's Tax Agency after they were identified as potentially being used to transport illegal drugs.

Officers subsequently searched the containers and discovered that the wooden crates carrying the coconuts had been modified with hidden compartments.

The crates had false bottoms, beneath which several packages containing a white substance were concealed. Laboratory tests later confirmed that the substance was cocaine.

Rather than seize the containers immediately, investigators reportedly removed the drugs, resealed the cargo and continued monitoring the shipment in an effort to identify the people behind its collection.

Their surveillance eventually led them to two refrigerated trucks that arrived to pick up the containers.

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The vehicles were followed to a warehouse at the La Juaida industrial estate in Almería, where officers arrested two men as the cargo was being unloaded.

The suspects are believed to be the importer of the cocaine and the individual responsible for supervising the unloading process.

Although the operation took place in August, Spanish authorities made the details public on November 11, 2026.

The seizure has placed Ghana's Tema Port in the spotlight, as the two containers carrying the cocaine began their journey from the country's main seaport before arriving in Spain.

However, details released by Spanish authorities do not establish where the cocaine was hidden in the coconut crates or whether it was loaded in Ghana or introduced into the shipment at another point along the supply chain.

There is also no confirmed information about whether Ghanaian nationals are connected to the operation, whether any suspects have been identified locally or whether Ghanaian security agencies assisted with the investigation.

What is currently known is that the containers were shipped from Tema to Valencia, where Spanish investigators uncovered the drugs and traced the consignment to a warehouse in Almería.

The latest development comes amid a number of cocaine-related incidents involving shipments or travellers connected to Ghana.

In one case, Lebanese customs officials reportedly seized 46.7 kilogrammes of cocaine at Beirut Airport from a Syrian passenger who had travelled from Accra.

French customs officials also reportedly intercepted nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine concealed in a container carrying plastic waste that had departed from Ghana.

In another incident, Tema Police seized 866 parcels of suspected cocaine hidden in sacks of gari at a warehouse within the Tema Harbour enclave.

The latest seizure in Spain adds to the list of international drug interceptions involving cargo originating from Ghana.

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AK/AM