International Relations Analyst, Dr Ishmael Hlovor, has opined that the recent interception of nearly 3.9 metric tonnes of cocaine, valued at approximately €225 million (about $261 million), in a shipment originating from Ghana could inflict serious damage on the country’s global reputation and also lead to heightened scrutiny of Ghanaian travellers.
The cocaine which was concealed inside a container of plastic waste that had arrived from Ghana as part of a consignment initially destined for Antwerp, Belgium French customs officers was seized by French customs at the northern port of Dunkirk.
The French authorities have opened an investigation into organised importation of the narcotics.
In Ghana, the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) in Ghana has arrested three suspects alleged to have facilitated the activities of a Dutch fugitive linked to the network.
Speaking on the implications of this seizure on Starr Today on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, Dr Hlovor said large-scale drug seizures traced back to Ghana send a damaging signal about the country’s border and security controls.
“The drug development is very negative for the image of Ghana globally. For such large shipment of cocaine or transportation of cocaine to be traced back to Ghana will indicate how porous your border security setup is and possibly the accomplishments within our own security setups is obvious. So, it doesn’t order well for the image of this country,” he stated.
He warned that repeated incidents could subject Ghanaian citizens travelling abroad to tougher checks and stricter regulations over time.
“It will subject citizens who are travelling to other countries to very tough scrutiny. Over time, countries will begin to adopt more tougher regulations when it comes to Ghanaian passengers. So, the earlier we adopt measures that actually address some of these things, the better.”
Dr Hlovor acknowledged that drug trafficking is a transnational problem requiring coordinated international action.
“Drug trafficking is a global issue. It is part of the transnational crimes that the whole world have to cooperate to deal with. Not only Ghana, authorities across various West Africa across the world must coordinate effort in order to be able to deal with it. No single country on its own can be able to deal with some of these crimes,” he said.
Nevertheless, he stressed that for a developing country like Ghana, such high-profile cases compound existing negative perceptions.
“As a country, a developing country like Ghana, this add to the negative image that is normally associated with us. So, I think that the authorities should be worried that these things should not become too frequent. The more frequent they become, the more we are going to face the international backlash in terms of our travellers, Ghanaians who are travelling or people travelling from Ghana facing greater scrutiny at various airports.”
The Dunkirk seizure forms part of a broader pattern of major narcotics interceptions linked to Ghana in recent years, including large domestic finds and other overseas cases involving shipments that left the country’s ports.
NACOC has reiterated its commitment to working with domestic and international partners to disrupt trafficking networks and prevent Ghana from serving as a transit or operational base for international drug organisations.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
