Liberia Charges Five Over 200kg Cocaine Seizure at Monrovia Airport

Authorities in Liberia have charged five suspects in connection with one of the largest drug seizures in the country’s history. Police found more than 200kg of cocaine at the international airport in Monrovia on 8 June after the shipment was falsely declared as Maggi seasoning cubes.

The consignment, valued at roughly $19m, prompted President Joseph Boakai to order a joint investigation by police and the national anti-drug agency. He stated that Liberia would not serve as a safe haven or transit point for narcotics networks.

Police said the operation used Liberia’s aviation and logistics systems as a channel for organised crime. Officers also found evidence linking the June shipment to another consignment processed in May. On Saturday, police announced that the logistics company handling the cargo showed signs of complicity.

The operations manager of that firm is now in custody in Monrovia. Arrest warrants are being prepared with Interpol for the remaining suspects who remain at large. One individual is believed to be attending an event in China, while another is linked to a UK address in Birmingham.

The delay in naming the suspects triggered a row in parliament, where police leadership was summoned to a special senate hearing. Some lawmakers raised concerns that the investigation could be protecting influential citizens. One of the named suspects had reportedly been released from prison after an earlier drug-related arrest in 2024.

In October 2022, authorities at Monrovia seaport intercepted a container holding 520kg of cocaine valued at $100m. Neighbouring Sierra Leone has also featured in recent trafficking cases. Spanish police, working with U.S. and Dutch officials, seized 45 tonnes of cocaine near the Canary Islands in May after the vessel departed Freetown.