Liberia Seizes $19 Million Cocaine Haul as President Vows Tough Crackdown on Drug Trafficking

Liberian President Joseph Boakai has vowed to dismantle drug trafficking networks after authorities seized 240 kilograms of cocaine worth over $19 million at Roberts International Airport in Monrovia. He said Liberia would not serve as a base for narcotics operations and promised a thorough investigation. The development comes amid major cocaine seizures in West Africa, including 970 kilograms in Senegal and 30 tonnes linked to Sierra Leone.

Liberian President Joseph Boakai has pledged to intensify the country's fight against drug trafficking following one of the largest narcotics seizures in Liberia's history. Speaking in a national address on Tuesday, Boakai vowed to dismantle the criminal networks responsible for financing and coordinating the illicit drug trade.

The president declared that Liberia would not serve as a safe haven, transit route, storage centre, financial hub, or operational base for international drug trafficking organisations. He stressed that the government is committed to protecting the country's security, reputation, and future by cracking down on criminal groups involved in the narcotics trade.

His remarks came after Liberian authorities intercepted approximately 240 kilograms of cocaine at Roberts International Airport in Monrovia earlier this month. According to Boakai, the seized drugs have an estimated street value exceeding $19 million, making it one of the most significant drug busts ever recorded in the country.

"We are determined to expose and destroy the networks that finance, coordinate, facilitate, and profit from this criminal activity," the president said, promising that the government would pursue everyone connected to the operation.

Boakai announced that Liberia's National Drug Enforcement Agency and the national police would jointly lead the investigation. He assured citizens that the authorities would work diligently to uncover the full extent of the trafficking network and ensure that all those involved are held accountable under the law.

The seizure highlights growing concerns across West Africa over the increasing use of the region as a transit point for cocaine and other illicit drugs destined for markets in Europe and elsewhere. Security experts have repeatedly warned that weak border controls, corruption, and organised crime networks make several countries in the region vulnerable to drug trafficking activities.

The development in Liberia comes amid a series of major drug seizures across West Africa. In neighbouring Senegal, customs officials announced on Tuesday that they had confiscated around 970 kilograms of cocaine in the central part of the country. The large-scale seizure underscored the continuing efforts by regional authorities to combat international drug trafficking operations.

Meanwhile, concerns about the spread of organised criminal networks have also emerged in Sierra Leone. In May, opposition leader Abdulai Kargbo publicly expressed alarm over several incidents linking the country to international drug trafficking activities. In an open letter addressed to the president, Kargbo said he was deeply concerned about reports connecting Sierra Leone to transnational criminal organisations involved in the narcotics trade.

His concerns followed a major operation by Spanish police, who seized 30 tonnes of cocaine and several firearms aboard a vessel that had departed from Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown. The drugs were estimated to be worth about 812 million euros, or approximately $943 million, making it one of the largest cocaine seizures connected to the region in recent years.

The recent cases in Liberia, Senegal, and Sierra Leone have renewed attention on the growing challenge posed by drug trafficking networks in West Africa. Governments across the region continue to strengthen law enforcement cooperation and border security measures as they seek to curb the influence of organised crime groups and prevent their countries from becoming key hubs in the global narcotics trade.