Major Cocaine Shipment Seized at Monrovia Airport
Authorities in Liberia have charged five individuals following one of the largest drug seizures in the country’s history. Police discovered more than 200kg of cocaine that had been falsely declared as Maggi seasoning cubes.
The shipment, valued at approximately $19 million (£14.2 million), was found at the international airport in Monrovia on 8 June. However, the identities of the suspects were only disclosed during a press briefing held over the weekend.
Official Statements and Investigation Details
“This was a serious transnational cocaine trafficking operation using Liberia’s aviation and logistics system as a channel for organised crime,”said Inspector General Gregory Coleman late on Saturday. He further mentioned that his team uncovered evidence linking this shipment to a similar one processed in May.
The discovery of the drug shipment sparked significant public concern in Liberia, prompting President Joseph Boakai to order a joint investigation by the police and the national anti-drug agency.
“Liberia will not be used as a safe haven, transit point, warehouse, financial centre or operational base by criminal networks engaged in narcotics trafficking,”the president declared at the time.
Parliamentary Response and Suspect Identification
Despite the seizure, the delay in naming the suspects led to controversy within Liberia’s parliament. Inspector General Coleman was summoned to a special senate hearing, fueling public speculation that the investigation might be compromised to protect influential Liberian figures.
On Saturday, Coleman announced that his team had found evidence indicating the involvement of the logistics company responsible for handling the shipment. He then revealed the names of the suspects, who face charges related to transportation, possession, illicit trafficking of controlled substances, and criminal conspiracy.
The primary suspect, who serves as the operations manager of the logistics firm, is currently in custody in Monrovia. Coleman stated that arrest warrants would be issued in cooperation with Interpol for the remaining suspects who are still at large. One suspect, reportedly attending an event in China at the time of the bust, has not returned to Liberia. Prosecutors also released the Dutch phone number of a UK-based suspect along with his residential address in Birmingham.
Regional Context and Previous Seizures
This drug bust has reinforced reports that West Africa, a region characterized by porous land and sea borders, has become a significant transit point for narcotics moving between South America and Europe.
In October 2022, authorities intercepted a shipping container at the Monrovia seaport containing 520kg of cocaine valued at $100 million (£74.86 million). One of the suspects named on Saturday was reportedly released from prison after being arrested in connection with another drug-related case in 2024.
In neighboring Sierra Leone, one of Europe’s most wanted drug dealers has reportedly taken refuge since at least 2022 in the capital city, Freetown. A investigation published in February 2025 revealed that this individual is in contact with the president’s daughter.
International Drug Trafficking Links
In May, Spanish police, collaborating with US and Dutch officials, confiscated 45 tonnes of cocaine worth €812 million (£694 million) in what a Madrid court described as Europe’s largest-ever cocaine bust. The Comoros-flagged cargo vessel involved was raided near the Canary Islands and had departed from Freetown with Libya listed as its official destination. Another drug shipment originating from Freetown was also seized en route to Spain in February.
