Ghana: Navy Foils Illegal Fuel Bunkering Operation In Volta Region, Seizes Fuel-Laden Canoes

The Ghana Navy has intercepted seven modified canoes suspected to have been used for illegal fuel bunkering along the Keta–Denu–Aflao coastline in the Volta Region.

The suspects involved in the illicit activities reportedly abandoned the vessels upon spotting a naval patrol ship, leaving the canoes to be seized and towed to the naval base in Tema.

Speaking at a press briefing in Tema, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) of the Eastern Naval Command (ENC), Commodore Solomon Asiedu-Larbi, explained that the perpetrators were detected by a Ghana Navy Ship (GNS) on Monday, January 12, 2026, during a routine sea patrol.

According to him, the suspects were using specially built canoes, locally known as “Dendes,” which contained about 378 empty barrels.

These canoes were clearly engineered for fuel smuggling at sea, underscoring their role in illegal bunkering operations.

Upon sighting the naval ship, the suspects fled the scene, abandoning the canoes.

Commodore Asiedu-Larbi commended the naval crew for their professionalism and vigilance, reaffirming the Ghana Navy’s firm commitment to combating illegal fuel bunkering, as well as other maritime threats including unlawful fishing, smuggling, and transnational maritime crimes.

He further disclosed that, under the guidance of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Godwin Livinus Bessing, additional maritime assets are being deployed to enhance surveillance and improve rapid response capabilities in the Eastern Corridor.

The Command Operations Officer of the ENC, Commander James Dzigbordzi Agrah, provided further details on the incident, noting that the specially built canoes were seized and towed to the harbour after the perpetrators fled upon detecting the Navy ship.

Commander Agrah explained that fuel bunkering syndicates typically operate using larger “mother vessels” stationed offshore, which offload stolen fuel onto smaller canoes for onward smuggling to coastal landing sites.

He noted that such activities result in significant revenue losses through tax evasion, contaminate local markets with adulterated fuel, and cause environmental pollution through fuel spills that threaten marine ecosystems and fish stocks.

Commodore Asiedu-Larbi announced enhanced countermeasures, including intensified community sensitisation programmes, the deployment of unmanned aerial systems, and closer collaboration with maritime stakeholders to dismantle these criminal networks.

The Ghana Navy reaffirmed its commitment to securing the nation’s maritime domain and urged coastal communities to report suspicious activities to help safeguard national security, marine biodiversity, and the sustainability of Ghana’s blue economy.