Cocaine in coconuts: What we know about the Tema shipment seized in Spain
The timeline, the hiding place, the arrests in Almería and the questions still open about the 2,600kg of cocaine shipped from Tema.
On August 2, two containers were loaded at Ghana's Tema Port bound for Spain. These containers made their way to Valencia by container ship by August 22. Spain's customs risk unit had flagged both containers as high-risk during their routine screening of international trade. Upon arrival, Spain's customs officers opened the containers, discovering the drugs inside.
The cocaine was concealed in wooden crates with false bottoms, each concealing a full layer of cocaine parcels. Using a narcotest, the seized powder was confirmed as cocaine, totaling 2,600 kilograms. Instead of immediate arrests, the drugs were removed and the cargo allowed to continue under surveillance. The coconuts were then transported to a warehouse in Viator, Almería via two refrigerated lorries.
Two men were arrested during the unloading process. Spanish authorities have not disclosed the names of the Ghanaian exporter of the coconuts or the importing company in Spain. They also did not mention the exact timing of the drug discovery or the arrests, only noting that the cargo arrived in August. The Ghanaian government has not commented publicly on the Spanish seizure by Thursday morning.
In a separate incident in September, French customs found nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine in a container of plastic waste from Ghana.
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