Monrovia, Liberia – The government of Liberia through the Joint Security has destroyed more than 4.2 metric tons worth an estimated US$336 million, making it one of the country’s biggest anti-drug operations. Authorities are stepping up their investigations into a worldwide operation reportedly involving high security officials. On Thursday, July 30, the court-approved public burning in Careysburg put an end to two of the biggest cocaine busts in recent national history. The drugs that were destroyed came from two different operations that were conducted in June and July.
The first seizure occurred on June 8 at Roberts International Airport (RIA), where investigators discovered 237.6 kilograms of cocaine concealed in commercial cargo. The drugs were valued at approximately $19 million USD. 3,971 kilograms, or roughly 4 metric tons, of processed cocaine with an estimated street value of US$317 million were seized during the second operation, which took place in Duazon on July 21.
Over 4.2 metric tons of cocaine valued at more than US$336 million were seized collectively. Inspector General of Police Gregory O.W. Coleman revealed fresh information about the inquiry during the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing, claiming that senior security personnel assisted in the trafficking operation.
Highway Patrol Chief Wadell Quaboe and Major Crimes Chief Anthony Blaye were arrested and formally charged after a year-long intelligence and surveillance operation, according to Coleman. Investigators claim that before the cocaine was taken to court on Thursday, the two policemen escorted it from the beach to its storage place using official Liberia National Police cars.
Another suspect in the case, according to the authorities, is a deputy commander of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) stationed at Roberts International Airport. The probe has already spread outside of Liberia, according to Justice Minister and Attorney General Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh, with support from law enforcement organizations in Morocco, Rwanda, and the Netherlands.
Tweh reaffirmed President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s dedication to accountability by promising that investigators would follow up on any legitimate lead, regardless of a person’s standing or power. The Justice Minister declared, “There will be no limits. If the evidence points to you, you will be investigated.”
Tweh also denied accusations that were making the rounds on social media that connected the president’s son, Joseph Boakai Jr., to the ongoing drug inquiry, calling them unfounded. Following the significant cocaine seizures, Boakai Jr. and the Liberian government were threatened by a widely shared film that purported to show members of a Colombian drug cartel.
Sam Gaye, the director of the Executive Protection Service, rejected the threats earlier this week, stating that the government would not be intimidated and would carry out the court-approved destruction of the confiscated drugs. The destruction of the cocaine coincides with the Boakai administration’s ongoing attack on drug trafficking, which has resulted in the dismissal, suspension, or prosecution of a number of government and security officials.
