Five charged in Liberia's largest cocaine bust
Authorities in Liberia have charged five suspects in connection with one of the largest drug seizures in the country's history, after police discovered more than 200kg of cocaine at the international airport in Monrovia. The shipment, falsely declared as Maggi seasoning cubes, was valued at approximately $19 million (£14.2 million).
Details of the seizure and investigation
The drugs were found on 8 June, but suspects were not named until a press briefing over the weekend. Inspector General Gregory Coleman stated, "This was a serious transnational cocaine trafficking operation using Liberia's aviation and logistics system as a channel for organised crime." He added that evidence linked the shipment to a similar one processed in May.
Political fallout and presidential response
The drug bust caused uproar in Liberia, prompting President Joseph Boakai to order a combined investigation by the police and national anti-drug agency. "Liberia will not be used as a safe haven, transit point, warehouse, financial centre or operational base by criminal networks engaged in narcotics trafficking," he said. The delay in naming suspects led to a parliamentary row, with Coleman summoned to a special senate hearing amid public speculation of interference to protect powerful citizens.
Suspects and international links
Coleman announced evidence suggesting complicity of the logistics company that handled the shipment. The key suspect, the operations manager of the firm, is in custody in Monrovia. Arrest warrants will be issued with Interpol for others at large. One suspect, believed to be in China at the time of the bust, has not returned. Prosecutors released a Dutch phone number and a Birmingham postcode for a UK-based suspect.
Regional context: West Africa as a transit hub
The seizure reinforces reports that West Africa has become a major staging post for narcotics between South America and Europe. In October 2022, authorities intercepted 520kg of cocaine worth $100m at Monrovia seaport. One suspect named on Saturday was reportedly released from prison after a 2024 drug-related arrest. In neighbouring Sierra Leone, a European drug dealer has taken refuge in Freetown since 2022, in a relationship with the president's daughter, as reported by The Guardian in February 2025. In May, Spanish police confiscated 45 tonnes of cocaine worth €812m in Europe's largest-ever cocaine bust, with the vessel leaving Freetown.
