By Jerromie S. Walters
Monrovia, Liberia – Criminal charges are expected to be filed in the coming days against suspects linked to the record seizure of 237.6 kilograms of cocaine at Roberts International Airport, Inspector General of Police Gregory O.W. Coleman disclosed during a briefing before the Liberian Senate on Wednesday.
The investigation, centered on an estimated US$19 million narcotics shipment intercepted on June 8, has progressed beyond identifying persons of interest to focusing on specific suspects, Coleman told lawmakers. He cautioned that certain details cannot yet be made public to protect the integrity of ongoing proceedings.
“The investigation involves extensive documentary and forensic evidence,” Coleman said, noting that the Liberia National Police is working closely with national and international law enforcement partners to ensure a thorough outcome.
Justice Minister Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh has publicly named ten individuals allegedly complicit in the elaborate smuggling scheme. Those identified include Philip Yeoh, Security Manager at GLS Menzies; Festus S. Musa, a cargo handler for the firm; Ruth Gbapaywhea and Geraldine Zeon, scanner agents at the airport; Archie Nyanfor, a cargo handler with Express Handling Services; Arthur B. Abdullai, CEO of Express Handling Services; and Mohammed Gbowrah, the airport’s Security Director.
Three key suspects remain at large: Paul J. King, CEO of GLS Menzies; Oscar Browne, Chief of Intelligence for RIA Security; and Emmanuel T. Zeon, a transporter for Express Handling Services.
The cocaine—198 compressed plates hidden inside six cargo boxes destined for Europe via Brussels Airlines—was detected during routine cargo inspection. John Buway, Deputy Managing Director of the Liberia Airport Authority, testified before the House of Representatives that screeners flagged suspicious inconsistencies in X-ray images.
“For example, you have hair, human hair, in the cargo. The images in the X-ray machine are showing paint,” Buway said, describing the anomalies that prompted further examination. Witness testimony indicates the six drug-laden boxes were transported from the Old Road residence of GLS executive Paul King before arriving at the airport.
President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has suspended Peter Malcolm King from the board of the National Oil Company of Liberia. The Liberia Airport Authority has placed seven employees on administrative leave and indefinitely suspended Oscar J. Brown, though officials stress these measures are precautionary and do not constitute findings of guilt.
On June 25, the House of Representatives voted unanimously (37-0) to pass a resolution requesting the President temporarily suspend operations of GLS Menzies and Express Holding Services pending the full investigation. The resolution authorizes interim government oversight and urges the Executive branch to classify all linked individuals as formal suspects rather than “persons of interest.”
The seizure has sharpened focus on Liberia’s ongoing struggle with substance abuse. An estimated 13 percent of the population engages in illicit drug use, while up to 20 percent of Liberian youth suffer from substance addiction—rates significantly exceeding global averages, driven by post-conflict trauma and widespread unemployment.
In January 2024, President Boakai declared the drug crisis a national emergency. The National Anti-Drug Action Plan (2025–2030), formally launched in late 2025 with an initial US$200,000 budget, unifies public health, security, and education initiatives under a Multisectoral Steering Committee. Drug trafficking remains a non-billable crime under Liberian law.
