Ghana Navy Smashes Fuel Smuggling Ring on Volta Coast

Ghana's Navy just dealt a major blow to criminals who've been stealing from every citizen's pocket through illegal fuel smuggling.

In a midnight operation on January 15, 2026, naval personnel aboard the GNS Aflao intercepted seven massive canoes along the Keta-Denu-Aflao coastline. These weren't ordinary fishing boats but purpose-built smuggling vessels called "Dendes," equipped to carry 378 barrels holding 250 liters each.

Commodore Solomon Asiedu-Larbi revealed that weeks of intelligence work led to the bust. The suspects fled into darkness when they spotted the Navy ship, abandoning their specialized equipment worth significant money.

Commander James Dzigbordzi Agrah explained how these maritime cartels operate. A large tanker anchors just beyond Ghana's territorial waters, then the modified canoes approach under cover of night to receive stolen fuel. They ferry it to hidden coastal spots, completely bypassing official channels and taxes.

The Ripple Effect

This successful operation protects Ghanaians in multiple ways. Every gallon of smuggled fuel means lost tax revenue that could fund schools, hospitals, and roads. The unregulated fuel often damages engines when unsuspecting drivers fill up their tanks. Spillages during these illegal transfers poison marine ecosystems and destroy the fish stocks that thousands of Ghanaian families depend on for their livelihoods.

The Navy's Chief of Staff, Rear Admiral Godwin Livinus Bessing, responded by deploying reinforcements from the Western Naval Command. Ships now maintain a 24-hour presence to prevent future smuggling attempts.

Commodore Asiedu-Larbi emphasized that protecting Ghana's waters helps everyone. "The blue economy sustains thousands of fishing families," he said, urging coastal communities to see the Navy as partners in prosperity rather than adversaries.

Ghana's seas are safer tonight, and that means a stronger economy for everyone tomorrow.