Liberia carries out its largest drug bust in history
Written by: Ayman Ragab
Authorities in Liberia announced they had carried out the largest drug bust in the country's history, following a raid by anti-narcotics law enforcement on a cocaine storage facility just outside Monrovia.
A few suspects were arrested after police raided the target on Tuesday in the town of Doazone, 12 miles east of the capital, and uncovered $370 million worth of high-grade cocaine.
Biggest drug operation
Among those arrested in connection with the discovery of the drugs during the raid dubbed Operation Dawazon, two were not Liberians.
Police have since released photos and video footage showing boxes packed onto a car that was later examined and found to contain cocaine.
According to investigators, Liberia has been identified as an international drug trafficking transit hub since 2018, thanks to more than a year of intelligence gathering that uncovered local gangs.
However, Liberian police say they are still investigating to uncover the source of the drugs.
The passports found in the suspects' possession were Spanish, Colombian, and Serbian.
Tuesday’s cocaine seizure was not the first major seizure by Liberian investigators; a 520-kilogram cocaine shipment was discovered in the port of Monrovia in 2022.
West Africa is widely considered a notorious hub for cocaine trafficking, accounting for 30 percent of the drugs that reach Europe, according to the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.
Last month, six shipping containers containing cocaine were discovered at Roberts International Airport during a routine inspection. The shipment had falsely claimed that the containers held food, spices, and textiles.
The police and Liberia's anti-narcotics agency launched a joint investigation on the orders of President Joseph Boakai. This follows widespread public outrage criticizing the nature of the investigation, which allowed suspects to escape across the country's borders.
The government ordered charges to be brought against the fugitive suspects, with international arrest warrants issued against them.
