Key facts
- Five individuals have been charged in Liberia following a significant drug bust.
- Over 200kg of cocaine, valued at an estimated $19 million, was seized.
- The cocaine was discovered at the international airport in Monrovia on June 8.
- Authorities linked the shipment to a similar operation in May.
- The investigation suggests complicity of the logistics company that handled the shipment.
Liberian authorities have charged five individuals in connection with one of the country's largest drug seizures, involving over 200 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated value of $19 million. The illicit substance was discovered at the international airport in Monrovia on June 8, concealed within a shipment falsely declared as Maggi seasoning cubes.
Insp Gen Gregory Coleman announced the charges, stating that evidence suggests the operation was a "serious transnational cocaine trafficking" scheme utilizing Liberia's aviation and logistics systems. His team also found links to a similar shipment processed in May. The delay in naming the suspects had sparked controversy and a special senate hearing, with concerns raised about potential interference to protect influential citizens.
Coleman confirmed that the investigation uncovered evidence pointing to the complicity of the logistics company that handled the shipment. The key suspect, identified as the firm's operations manager, is in custody. Arrest warrants are being sought through Interpol for the other suspects who remain at large, including one believed to be based in the UK.
This incident highlights West Africa's role as a significant transit point for narcotics moving between South America and Europe, a region characterized by porous borders. In a separate incident in October 2022, Liberian authorities seized 520kg of cocaine valued at $100 million at the Monrovia seaport. One of the individuals now charged was reportedly previously released from prison after a 2024 drug-related arrest.