Liberia Makes Record $370 Million Cocaine Seizure In Major Drug Bust

Liberian police say they have made the country's largest-ever cocaine seizure after raiding a suspected storage facility in Duazon near Monrovia. The drugs were valued at about $370 million, and several people, including two foreign nationals, were arrested. The bust follows another major cocaine seizure at Roberts International Airport and highlights West Africa's growing role as a transit route for cocaine from South America to Europe. Authorities are now investigating the wider international trafficking network behind the record haul.

Liberian authorities say they have made the country's largest-ever cocaine seizure after police raided a suspected drug storage facility near the capital, Monrovia, and recovered a huge quantity of the illegal substance.
Police chief Gregory Coleman said forensic tests confirmed that the seized material was cocaine with an estimated street value of about $370 million (£220 million).
The operation took place in Duazon, a town about 20 kilometres east of Monrovia. Several people were arrested during the raid, including two foreign nationals and several Liberian citizens.
Authorities have not yet filed charges against the suspects, and investigations are continuing to establish the origin of the cocaine, its intended destination and the wider network behind the shipment.

POLICE TRACE TRAFFICKING NETWORK

Coleman said the seizure was the result of a lengthy investigation into suspected drug trafficking networks that had resurfaced in Liberia between 2018 and 2023.
According to the police chief, investigators had been monitoring the suspected network for about 18 months before carrying out the raid.
"This is the result of that operation," Coleman said, describing the seizure as the largest drug bust in Liberia in recent years.
Police released photographs and video showing dozens of sealed suitcases and boxes packed inside a lorry, giving an indication of the scale of the operation.
The seizure is expected to trigger further investigations into how the drugs entered Liberia and whether the country was being used as a transit point for cocaine destined for other markets.

FOREIGN NATIONALS AMONG THOSE ARRESTED

The identities and nationalities of the people arrested have not been fully disclosed, but police said two foreign suspects were among those detained.
One of the suspects was reportedly carrying both Spanish and Colombian passports, while the other held a Serbian passport.
Coleman said police were already investigating the trafficking network when the two foreign nationals arrived in Liberia and were subsequently arrested.
The involvement of foreign suspects has raised questions about the international nature of the trafficking operation and the possibility that the network extends beyond Liberia's borders.
Authorities are expected to work with international partners as they attempt to determine where the cocaine originated and who was behind the planned shipment.

VICE-PRESIDENT WARNS SUSPECTS WILL FACE JUSTICE

Liberian Vice-President Jeremiah Koung praised the security agencies involved in the operation and warned that anyone found responsible would face the full force of the law.
He said the authorities would pursue those involved regardless of their nationality or status.
The statement reflects growing pressure on Liberia's security agencies to demonstrate that the country will not become a safe haven for international drug trafficking organisations.
However, the suspects remain under investigation, and any criminal charges will be subject to the country's legal process.

RECORD SEIZURE FOLLOWS AIRPORT COCAINE BUST

The latest operation comes only weeks after another major cocaine seizure at Roberts International Airport.
Security personnel reportedly intercepted six cargo boxes after identifying irregularities during routine screening.
The shipment had allegedly been falsely declared as food seasoning and textiles, but investigators discovered nearly 200 compressed blocks of cocaine inside.
That case generated political controversy after critics accused authorities of responding too slowly, allowing some suspects to leave the country before they could be arrested.
President Joseph Boakai subsequently ordered a joint investigation involving the Liberia National Police and the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency.
Several suspects have since been charged, while international arrest warrants are reportedly being pursued for others believed to be outside the country.

WEST AFRICA EMERGES AS A MAJOR COCAINE TRANSIT ROUTE

The seizure highlights Liberia's position within a wider regional drug trafficking problem.
West Africa has increasingly become an important transit route for cocaine trafficked from South America towards lucrative European markets.
Weak border controls, limited resources and the activities of organised criminal networks have contributed to the region's growing role in the international drug trade.
The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime estimates that at least 30% of cocaine destined for Europe now passes through West Africa.
The organisation has also warned that local consumption is increasing, including the use of crack cocaine in some communities.
Regional authorities have reported a steady rise in drug seizures since 2019, with seizures reaching an estimated 30 tonnes in 2025.
The United Nations has also warned that trafficking networks operating in the region are becoming increasingly sophisticated and are adapting their methods to evade law enforcement.

LIBERIA'S HISTORY OF MAJOR DRUG SEIZURES

Liberia has recorded several significant drug seizures in recent years.
In 2022, authorities seized about 520 kilogrammes of cocaine at the port of Monrovia in an operation that highlighted the country's vulnerability to international trafficking networks.
Since President Boakai took office in 2024, leadership at Liberia's drug enforcement agency has reportedly undergone several changes amid growing pressure to strengthen the fight against drug trafficking.
The latest seizure is likely to increase scrutiny of Liberia's ports, airports and borders as authorities seek to prevent the country from becoming an established hub for international cocaine trafficking.

AUTHORITIES FACE PRESSURE TO DISMANTLE THE NETWORK

The record seizure is a major success for Liberian law enforcement, but officials now face the more difficult task of identifying and dismantling the network responsible for the drugs.
Investigators will need to determine who financed the shipment, where the cocaine came from, who was expected to receive it and whether other people involved remain at large.
The operation also highlights the increasingly international nature of the cocaine trade, with suspects holding passports from several countries and trafficking routes stretching across continents.
For Liberia, the challenge now goes beyond the seizure itself. Authorities will be under pressure to ensure that the investigation leads to successful prosecutions and helps expose the wider criminal network behind the record haul.
The outcome could also determine whether Liberia is able to strengthen its reputation as a country committed to tackling organised crime and preventing West Africa from becoming an even more important corridor for the global cocaine trade.