Ghana named fifth cocaine dispatch country to Antwerp - MyJoyOnline
Belgian customs data identifies Ghana as the fifth-largest dispatch country for cocaine seized at the port of Antwerp in 2025. Authorities clarify that Ghana is a transit point for drugs originating in the Andes rather than a production hub, leading to increased scrutiny of Ghanaian port security.
Why it matters
The report highlights the evolving logistics of international drug trafficking and the pressure on African transit hubs to improve customs and interagency oversight.
--> Belgian customs named Ghana the fifth country of origin of containers with cocaine seized at the port of Antwerp in Belgium in 2025. According to MyJoyOnline , Ghana was the only African country in the top five. Ecuador, Costa Rica, Brazil and Colombia were also included.
In 2025, nearly 55 tonnes of cocaine were seized in Antwerp, 24% more than the 44 tonnes a year earlier. Belgian Finance Minister Jan Jambon presented these data on January 21, 2026.
In Belgian customs statistics, the country of origin is considered to be the state where a container was loaded and dispatched, rather than the country where the drugs were produced. The report stresses that cocaine is not grown in Ghana: it is delivered from the Andes and concealed among legitimate Ghanaian exports.
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