MONROVIA – The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) has arrested and confiscated two separate consignments of Methamphetamine (Kush) and Cannabis worth US$820, 000 at the Roberts International Airport (RIA) and Bo Waterside, outside Monrovia.
The Liberian dollar value of the drugs arrested is L$155, 800, 000.
Making the disclosure at a news conference held in Monrovia on Tuesday, August 6, LDEA Officer-In-Charge, Christopher Peters, disclosed that the agency, in collaboration with the Bureau of Customs at the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), confiscated two boxes of concealed tea leaf substances believed to be controlled narcotic drug on July 24, 2024 at the RIA.
He pointed out that the boxes of concealed tea leaf substances arrived in the country by way of SN Brussels flight #: SN-245 on July 19, 2024 at about 5:00 PM.
He added that upon testing conducted by the LDEA and UNODC on July 25, 2024, the substance contained in the two boxes were tested positive for Methamphetamine (KUSH).
“The controlled narcotics substance seized, weighed (10) kilograms with the street value of two hundred thousand United States dollars (USD 200,000.00) or Liberian Dollars thirty-eight million (LRD38, 000,000).”
Suspects arrested
Mr. Peters pointed out that several suspects were arrested in connection with the Kush at the RIA.
They include: suspects Raymond Kpehe (clearing agent of United Parcel Services), and Michael Brown (the consignee), all Liberian nationals.
They were arrested, investigated and charged for Importation, Transportation and Conspiracy, while Mohammed Nyallay, a Sierra Leonean national was also arrested, investigated and charged for accomplices to the importation of narcotics substance into Liberia, which is in violation of Sections 14.83 and 14.85 of the 2023 drug law as amended, as well as Sections 10.4 and 10.2 of the Penal Law of Liberia.
Mr. Peters disclosed that the three suspects have been forwarded to the Unification Town, Magisterial Court in Margibi County for prosecution.
Bo Waterside
Speaking further, the LDEA Officer-In-Charge disclosed that, on August 2, 2024, the agency’s detachment in Grand Cape Mount County, in collaboration with the Joint Security, searched and seized 31 kilograms of Kush onboard a white mini bus with a Guinean plate number AD 1037.
The vehicle was driven by suspect Abass Sannoh, a Liberian national at the Bo Waterside border.
Suspect Sannoh, a resident of Gardnerville, was investigated and charged for Transportation and Possession of Controlled drugs or substance, in violations of Sections 14.85 and 14.89 of the new drug law as amended, as well as Sections 50.5 and 50.6 of the Penal law of Liberia.
Mr. Peters pointed out that suspect Sannoh has been forwarded to the Tianii Magisterial Court in Grand Cape Mount County for prosecution.
“The street value of the 31 kilograms of Cannabis Kush seized at BO Waterside is put at six hundred twenty thousand United States dollars (620,000) and its equivalent of Liberian Dollar one hundred and seventeen million, eight hundred thousand (LRD117,800,000). The street values of both seizures from RIA and Bo Waterside amount to Eight Hundred and twenty thousand (US$820,000) or One hundred and fifty-five Million, eight hundred thousand (LD$155,800,000).”
He noted that the LDEA will increase collaboration to ensure concerted efforts with its Sierra Leonean counterparts to curtail the transporting of drugs through the Bo Waterside to Monrovia corridor.
Mr. Peters added that efforts will be strengthened to ensure that illicit substances are not transported to and from the two countries.
He stated that the increase in the area of suspects and substances is a clear manifestation of high work being done by officers of the LDEA.
He said the agency would also place keen focus on the implementation of its plan for the rehabilitation of at-risk youths in the country.
Mr. Peters maintained that the agency is currently working with the communities to combat against the illicit flow of drugs in Liberia.
“We continue to do supply reduction; to arrest people, break the network of trafficking and transporting. But you know, drugs like any crime, is a human phenomenon and it’s perpetrated by people in the communities. One of the things we’ve been successful in doing is to continue to work with community members. Some of the communities are now putting together to prevent the building of ghettos in their communities. We are carrying on prevention and awareness to dismantle ghettos in the communities.”
