ACCRA, Ghana — Jessica Hartog, the 34-year-old CEO of the upscale Eurospa beauty parlour in East Legon, has been remanded in custody by an Accra High Court in connection with a major international drug trafficking investigation.
Appearing before the Vacation High Court presided over by Justice Charity Akosua Asem on Wednesday, September 16, Hartog and three male co-accused pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to export narcotic drugs without a license and the illegal exportation of narcotics. Following the refusal of their bail applications, the court ordered the accused to be remanded into lawful custody until their next appearance on October 13, 2026, which marks the start of the new legal year.
The other suspects arraigned alongside the businesswoman are her fiancé, Desmond Koranteng Curiel, 34, alias “Biggs” or “Accra Chief”; Musah Attah, 47, a farmer; and Kweku Otchere, 32, a businessman.
The charges stem from a massive drug interdiction by French customs on September 10, 2026, at the Port of Dunkirk. Authorities intercepted a 40-foot shipping container originating from Ghana that was ostensibly transporting recycled plastic waste. Concealed within the cargo was approximately 3.9 tonnes of cocaine, carrying an estimated street value of €225 million ($260 million), with a portion of the shipment reportedly en route to Antwerp, Belgium.
Following the seizure in France, Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) launched an investigation, identifying the four suspects as alleged facilitators for a wider drug network. Authorities believe the group was acting on behalf of Joseph Johannes Leijdekkers, a fugitive Dutch national and convicted drug trafficker popularly known as “Bolle Jos,” who is currently at large.
On September 12, NACOC officers arrested Hartog and Koranteng in Ashale Botwe, while Otchere was apprehended at his East Legon residence. A subsequent search of their properties led to the seizure of three firearms, ammunition, four luxury vehicles, passports, and varying amounts of cash.
Despite her ties to Koranteng—who investigators reportedly regard as the principal suspect in Ghana—Hartog maintained her innocence in her caution statement. The salon owner stated that she is merely Koranteng’s fiancé and had no knowledge of the nature or specifics of his business operations.
Investigations by NACOC and international authorities remain ongoing to apprehend all individuals connected to the trafficking network.