The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) has announced the interception and seizure of 198 compressed plates of cocaine, with a street value of US$19,226,000, according to LDEA Boss DPC/OIC Fitzgerald Biago.
According to preliminary details, LDEA officers assigned at the airport discovered and confiscated about 237,600 grams of cocaine, with an estimated street value of over US$12.8 million, equivalent to roughly LRD 2.4 billion.
The agency, in a statement said the drugs were intercepted during a security operation at the airport.
However, LDEA officials have not yet disclosed where the shipment originated, its intended destination, or whether any suspects have been arrested in connection with the case.
The seizure adds to ongoing efforts by Government of Liberia to strengthen border security and combat international drug trafficking networks that often use West Africa as a transit route.
The LDEA described the discovery as a major breakthrough in its fight against illicit drugs and organized crime, while confirming that investigations are underway to determine how the consignment entered the country.
The agency, among other things noted that officers are also working to establish whether the shipment is linked to local or international trafficking groups.
Over the years, Liberia has recorded a number of major drug seizures, raising concerns about the country’s growing exposure to transnational drug trafficking routes.
One of the most notable cases occurred in 2022, when authorities of the LDEA through a tip-off from the American Embassy near Monrovia intercepted cocaine valued at over US$100 million, a case that drew widespread international attention and highlighted the scale of drug movements through the region.
Many Liberians continue to raise concerns warning that drug trafficking remains a serious threat to national security and public health, with criminal networks exploiting weak border controls and global trade routes.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has identified West Africa as a key transit hub for cocaine trafficking from Latin America to Europe and other destinations.
The LDEA authorities revealed that the ongoing seizures, while concerning, also reflect improved enforcement efforts and provide critical leads for dismantling trafficking networks operating across borders.
The LDEA is expected to release further details as investigations continue.
