-Along RIA Highway; Foreign Nationals in Custody
By Jerromie S. Walters
Monrovia: In what authorities are calling the largest drug seizure in Liberia’s history, joint security forces—comprising the Liberia National Police (LNP) and the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA)—confiscated a massive consignment of narcotics on Tuesday at a residence along the Roberts International Airport (RIA) highway.
Two foreign (male) nationals believed to be the masterminds have been apprehended, though they declined to comment when approached by the media. Investigators are continuing to gather evidence as the full scale of the operation remains under assessment.
The seizure, which eclipses previous records, marks a significant escalation in the country’s battle against transnational drug trafficking. While official quantities and estimated street values have yet to be released, the LNP indicates the haul surpasses the 520 kilograms of cocaine—valued at approximately US$100 million—intercepted in October 2022 at the Sonit Liberia Corporation compound in Monrovia.
That operation, carried out in coordination with U.S. and Brazilian authorities, uncovered cocaine hidden among frozen goods shipped from Brazil and led to the arrest of four men of Liberian, Portuguese, Lebanese, and Guinea-Bissauan nationalities on charges of trafficking and money laundering.
Tuesday’s operation was conducted in broad daylight along a key arterial route near Liberia’s primary international gateway The suspects, all foreign nationals, exercised their right to silence when reporters sought comment. Security officials have declined to speculate on the precise weight or origin of the confiscated substances, citing the ongoing nature of the inquiry.
This latest bust comes just months after a separate seizure in March 2026, when 237.6 kilograms of cocaine—valued at over US$19 million—was discovered at RIA concealed in cargo boxes falsely labeled as seasoning cubes. That case, which resulted in charges against five suspects, was marred by controversy after several principal figures fled the country during the investigation.
