Breaking the Stash: Liberia’s Largest Drug Operation
In a tense raid near Monrovia, officers seized a haul of cocaine valued at more than $370 million – the biggest seizure in Liberia’s history. The drugs were packed into sealed suitcases and flat‑packed boxes inside a local lorry, all confirmed as cocaine by forensic tests.
The operation, which took place in Duazon about 20km east of the capital, saw the arrest of four suspects. Two foreigners – one with Spanish and Colombian passports and another with a Serbian passport – were taken into custody, while several Liberian nationals were also detained. No formal charges have been announced yet.
Police chief Gregory Coleman explained that the bust was the fruit of an investigation that began in 2018 and intensified over the last year and a half. “We surfed the network for over 18 months and this is the result,” he said.
The Bigger Picture
West Africa has become a critical transit zone for cocaine from South America to Europe, with porous borders and weak enforcement making it easy for cartels to move drugs. The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime estimates that at least 30% of cocaine destined for Europe passes through the region. Local use of crack and other cocaine forms is also on the rise.
This haul follows a prior seizure at Roberts International Airport, where 200 compressed blocks of cocaine were discovered disguised as food seasoning and textiles. The airport bust led President Joseph Boakai to order a joint investigation with the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency.
Vice‑President Jeremiah K. Koung hailed the operation and warned that “whosoever was found culpable will feel the full weight of the law.”
The raid highlights the urgent need to crack down on transnational trafficking networks that exploit West African routes. As global security agencies tighten controls, stories like Liberia’s remind young readers that the fight against drug smuggling is a pressing international issue.
