Jessica Hartog, a Ghanaian businesswoman and owner of Euro Spa and Salon in East Legon, has emerged as one of the four people at the centre of an unfolding narcotics investigation following the seizure of nearly four tonnes of cocaine in France.
Hartog was arraigned before the High Court in Accra on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, alongside Desmond Koranteng Curiel, also known as Paul Kweku Yeboah or “Biggs”, Musah Attah, alias “Kromo”, and Kweku Otchere.
The four have been accused of involvement in the alleged exportation of about 3.9 tonnes of cocaine from Ghana to France, in a case that has attracted significant public attention because of the size and international dimensions of the consignment.
French customs authorities intercepted the shipment on September 10 at the northern French port of Dunkirk, where the cocaine was reportedly discovered concealed inside a container declared to contain plastic waste.
French authorities have estimated the street value of the seized narcotics at approximately €225 million, equivalent to more than US$260 million, making the seizure one of the major Ghana-linked drug interceptions to have emerged in recent times.
Reports indicate that the container had arrived from Ghana and that part of the consignment was reportedly destined for Antwerp in Belgium, highlighting the cross-border character of the investigation.
The development subsequently triggered action in Ghana, with the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) arresting suspects as investigators sought to establish how the consignment allegedly originated from Ghana and passed through the country’s export chain.
Hartog’s name became prominent in the case after NACOC’s arrests and the subsequent court proceedings placed her among the four accused persons now facing criminal charges.
According to reports from the proceedings, Hartog and the other accused persons are facing charges of conspiracy to commit a crime, specifically the exportation of narcotic drugs without a licence issued by the Minister of Health, as well as the exportation of narcotic drugs.
The four accused persons pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them in court, meaning that the allegations against them remain matters for determination through the judicial process.
The court subsequently remanded all four into lawful custody, with the case adjourned for further proceedings. They are scheduled to return to court on October 13, 2026.
Hartog’s inclusion in the case has generated particular interest because of her public identity as a businesswoman associated with the beauty and wellness industry in Accra.
She is identified in media reports as the owner and chief executive of Euro Spa and Salon, an upscale beauty and spa establishment located in East Legon.
Her business background has consequently become part of the public discussion surrounding the case, although the specific allegations against her and the precise role investigators believe she may have played in the alleged cocaine operation remain matters before the authorities and the court.
Some reports have described Hartog as having a personal relationship with Desmond Koranteng Curiel, one of the other accused persons.
NACOC has also linked its wider investigation to Dutch national Jos Leijdekkers, also known as “Bolle Jos”, who is reported to be at large. The Commission has said the Ghanaian suspects allegedly represented or facilitated his activities in Ghana.
The Commission has been working with French authorities to obtain additional information about the seized shipment and to assist Ghanaian investigators in tracing the circumstances under which the container allegedly left Ghana.
The investigation is therefore expected to extend beyond the four people already before the court, as authorities examine the exporter, shipping arrangements, cargo documentation and other aspects of the movement of the container.
The seizure has also raised broader questions about the systems used to inspect and clear cargo leaving Ghana, particularly how a container allegedly containing such a large quantity of cocaine could pass through the export process before being intercepted abroad.
For Hartog, the court proceedings have placed a businesswoman previously known publicly through the beauty and wellness sector at the centre of a major international narcotics investigation. Yet, as the case progresses, the allegations against her will have to be tested through evidence and due process.
With the four accused persons due back before the High Court on October 13, attention is now expected to turn to the prosecution’s evidence, the findings of the continuing NACOC investigation and any further developments arising from cooperation between Ghanaian and French authorities.
