The Ghana Navy has disrupted a significant illegal fuel bunkering operation along the Keta–Denu–Aflao coastline in the Volta Region following an intelligence-led maritime patrol on Thursday, 15th January 2026.

Speaking at the Eastern Naval Command (ENC), Flag Officer Commanding Commodore Solomon Asiedu-Larbi said sailors onboard a Ghana Navy Ship (GNS) intercepted seven specially modified canoes, locally known as “Dendes,” designed for fuel smuggling.

The canoes were found to contain 378 empty barrels, suggesting their use in large-scale illicit fuel operations.

Commander James Dzigbordzi Agrah, Command Operations Officer at the ENC, explained that syndicates typically use offshore “mother vessels” to offload stolen fuel onto smaller canoes, which are then transported to coastal landing sites.

The suspects reportedly fled upon sighting the naval vessel, leaving the canoes abandoned, which were later seized and towed to the harbour.

Commodore Asiedu-Larbi emphasised that such illegal operations result in significant revenue losses through tax evasion, contaminate local markets with adulterated fuel, and threaten marine ecosystems through fuel spills, endangering fish stocks and coastal livelihoods.

The Ghana Navy has called on coastal communities to remain vigilant and report any suspicious maritime activity, stressing that community cooperation is vital to protecting national security, safeguarding marine biodiversity, and ensuring the sustainability of Ghana’s blue economy.