Jessica Hartog, a beautician and reported owner of Euro Spa and Salon in East Legon, is among four people who have been charged and remanded by the High Court in Accra over an alleged attempt to export nearly four tonnes of cocaine from Ghana to France.
Hartog, 34, is facing charges together with Desmond Koranteng Curiel, alias “Paul Kweku Yeboah” or “Biggs”; Musah Attah, alias “Kromo”; and Kweku Otchere.
The four were arraigned on September 16, 2026, and have pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit a crime, specifically the exportation of narcotic drugs without a licence issued by the Minister of Health, and the exportation of narcotic drugs.
The court subsequently remanded them in custody. They are expected to reappear on October 13, 2026.
The case follows the seizure by French customs authorities of nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine at the port of Dunkirk in France on September 10.
The shipment, which originated from Ghana, was concealed in a container carrying plastic waste, with the drugs reportedly valued at about €225 million on the street market.
According to the prosecution, investigations by Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) identified the four accused persons as being connected to the shipment.
NACOC officers arrested Hartog and Curiel at Ashale Botwe on September 12, while Kweku Otchere was arrested at his residence in East Legon.
Musah Attah was subsequently arrested at NACOC headquarters on September 14, according to the prosecution’s account.
The prosecution further told the court that searches conducted following the arrests resulted in the retrieval of three firearms, ammunition, four luxury vehicles, passports and various sums of money.
In her caution statement, Hartog reportedly told investigators that she was Curiel’s fiancée and was unaware of the nature and details of his business activities.
The specific role allegedly played by Hartog in the suspected trafficking operation has not been publicly established by the court at this stage.
A fifth suspect, Dutch national Jos Leijdekkers, also known as “Bolle Jos”, has been named in connection with the investigation and is reportedly at large.
NACOC has said investigations are continuing to identify and apprehend other persons allegedly connected to the shipment.
The case remains before the court, and the charges against the four accused persons are yet to be determined.
