Ever hopeful I fear!
The Director General of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), Atty. Anthony Souh, has sent a strong message to international drug cartels, declaring that Liberia will no longer be used as a transit hub for illicit drugs. His statement comes after a major border operation led to the interception of 2.34 kilograms of raw cocaine, valued at 126,840,000 Liberian dollars (approximately $126,000 USD at the Bo-Waterside border.
Speaking at a press conference over the weekend, Atty. Souh detailed how LDEA operatives, acting on a tip-off, arrested a Nigerian national, David Dioumessy, 44, who was traveling on a Guinean ECOWAS passport. The suspect attempted to smuggle the high-grade cocaine by concealing it within the lining of his suitcase.
According to the LDEA chief, the suspect tried to abandon his luggage after spotting security personnel conducting routine inspections. However, LDEA officers, who had been monitoring his movements, swiftly apprehended him.
“When he saw the customs and joint security officers entering, he attempted to bypass the checkpoint and leave his suitcase behind. What he didn’t know was that he was already under surveillance. Our officers intercepted him, matched him to his suitcase, and upon inspection, discovered the drugs expertly hidden inside the lining,” Atty. Souh explained.
The confiscated drugs were later tested in the presence of representatives from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), confirming that it was raw cocaine.
Atty. Souh underscored that traffickers are exploiting Liberia’s relatively low-risk profile to smuggle drugs to Europe and the United States.
“These criminals use Liberia as a transit point because we are not yet seen as a high-risk country for drug trafficking. Their strategy is to repackage and re-ship these substances from here to major international markets. But let it be known today—Liberia will not be a safe passage for drug cartels,” he declared.
The LDEA chief reaffirmed that his agency is shifting its focus toward preventing drugs from entering the country rather than just arresting local users.
“If we can stop the flow of drugs at the border, our children will be safer. The fight against drug abuse cannot be won by simply arresting users—we must go after the importers, the traffickers, and the entire network behind them,” he added.
