A 34-year-old beautician and spa owner, Jessica Hartog, appeared before the High Court in Accra alongside three other accused persons. The case centres on a 40-foot container intercepted in Dunkirk, France, in September 2026, with its contents valued at around US$260 million. The container had been shipped from Ghana and was outwardly loaded with plastic waste, but French authorities allegedly found prohibited substances concealed within the consignment.
Jessica Hartog, the owner of Euros Spa, is one of four individuals now facing charges connected to the case. The other accused persons are businessman Desmond Koranteng Curiel, Musah Attah, and Kweku Otchere. According to the prosecution's account presented in court, Hartog and Curiel were apprehended by NACOC officers at Ashaley Botwe on September 12, while Otchere was arrested at his East Legon residence on the same date. Musah Attah turned himself in at NACOC headquarters on September 14.
The shipment has been estimated to carry a street value of approximately US$260 million. Ghana's Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) subsequently launched an investigation into individuals allegedly linked to the shipment. Searches connected to the arrests allegedly yielded three firearms, ammunition, four luxury vehicles, passports and various sums of money. Hartog was identified in court as Curiel's fiancée and reportedly told investigators that she did not know the nature or specifics of his business dealings.
All four accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them. The High Court remanded them into lawful custody pending further proceedings. Their next scheduled court appearance is October 13, 2026. A fifth suspect, Dutch national Jos Leijdekkers, also known as "Bolle Jos", has been reported to be at large. The prosecution confirmed that investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend any other individuals who may have been involved in the alleged shipment.
The case is connected to the seizure of 167 bales of illicit white powder in France, with an estimated street value of $225 million. This has raised fresh questions about the scale of the network. The accused persons' alleged roles in the exportation of approximately four tonnes of suspected narcotics from Ghana to France have also raised concerns.
Jessica Hartog has not been convicted of any offence, and all allegations against her remain subject to determination by the court. The Instagram video on the arrest and arraignment of Jessica Hartog has sparked a lot of interest on social media. Earlier, a popular East Legon socialite was reportedly arrested with two other Ghanaians in connection with a NACOC investigation into an alleged smuggling network linked to Bolle Jos.
The arraignment of Jessica Hartog and three others has brought attention to the issue of narcotics trafficking in Ghana. The country's authorities have been working to combat the problem, with NACOC playing a key role in investigations and arrests. The case will continue to be monitored as it progresses in court.
Key points
- The accused persons were remanded into custody and are set to reappear in court on October 13, 2026.
- The alleged shipment had a street value of approximately US$260 million.
- A fifth suspect, Jos Leijdekkers, also known as "Bolle Jos", is reportedly at large.
