Monrovia, Liberia – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has spoken out on the US$19 million cocaine seizure at Roberts International Airport (RIA). According to him, Liberia will not turn into a safe haven for foreign drug traffickers, threatening to prosecute anyone connected to the operation, regardless of status or position.
President Boakai called the interception of over 237.6 kilograms of cocaine one of the biggest drug arrests in Liberia’s history and a major threat to national security in a speech that was televised statewide on Monday night on the state-owned Liberia Broadcasting System (ELBC).
President Boakai stated, “Although I maintain that Liberia is open for business, Liberia is not open for the business of drug trafficking. Criminal networks involved in drug trafficking will not use Liberia as a safe haven, transportation hub, warehouse, financial center, or operational base.”
Following the seizure, which has sparked heated public debate and calls for the government to reveal the identity of people connected to the shipment, the speech is being given amid mounting public concern and demands for transparency. According to President Boakai, the probe will be carried out within the National Security Council’s jurisdiction through the National Joint Security architecture.
The National Security Agency (NSA), Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA), Liberia Immigration Service, Customs authorities, airport security, and the Ministry of Justice are among the security and law enforcement organisations supporting the investigation, which is being led by the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) and the Liberia National Police (LNP).
The President stated that investigators have been directed to pursue the matter in two ways: first, by identifying and punishing individuals directly involved in the cargo; and second, by dismantling the larger criminal business that was responsible for the operation. Boakai stated, “We are not just interested in stopping drugs or detaining couriers. ” We are committed to exposing and dismantling the networks that support, organise, enable, and profit from this illegal behaviour.
As the investigation moves on, the president emphasised that no person or organization will be shielded from scrutiny. “This investigation will follow the evidence wherever it leads,” he stated. Nobody will be immune. No institution will be immune to criticism. No criminal organization will get away with it.
Boakai additionally revealed that in order to bolster the investigation through intelligence sharing, forensic analysis, financial tracking, and coordinated cross-border activities, Liberia has increased cooperation with foreign law enforcement agencies and security partners.
He declared that a high-level government mission has already been sent overseas to interact with foreign partners and bolster efforts to find and destroy every person and group involved in the trafficking operation. The president urged Liberians to have patience and let investigators finish their work without intervention, even as he acknowledged the increasing public pressure for information.
According to him, the Liberian people have every right to demand openness from their government. However, professionalism, discipline, and the safeguarding of operational data are necessary for investigations to be successful. He cautioned that disclosing private information too soon might jeopardise existing investigations, alert suspects, destroy evidence, and put those assisting law enforcement in danger.
Boakai promised the public that information would be made public while upholding the integrity of the probe at the proper points. The president stated that his administration is still dedicated to protecting Liberia’s borders, safeguarding its inhabitants, maintaining the integrity of state institutions, and protecting the nation’s standing abroad.
Boakai presented the problem as a struggle for Liberia’s future, characterising drug trafficking as a menace that goes beyond law enforcement. According to him, combating drug trafficking is more than just a law enforcement issue; it’s a battle for our youth’s future, community safety, the legitimacy of our institutions, and the economy of our country.
In closing, the president expressed confidence that Liberia will ultimately triumph through unity and determination and promised that anyone looking to benefit from the pain of Liberians or jeopardise national security would not find sanctuary in Liberia. President Boakai made his first public remarks following the announcement of the cocaine shipment’s interception. The case has quickly grown to become one of the most well-known criminal investigations in recent Liberian history.
