The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) has confirmed the arrest of a Liberian woman at the Roberts International Airport (RIA) for attempting to traffic a significant quantity of cocaine into the country.
The suspect, Quita Kosso Dolo, 39, was intercepted by LDEA’s Special Detachment at around 6:30 AM on Saturday, July 12, shortly after disembarking from Kenya Airways flight KQ887 from Nairobi, Kenya, with a transit stop in Bangkok, Thailand.
Though she had successfully cleared both Immigration and Customs, LDEA officers grew suspicious and subjected her to a secondary inspection. During the search, ten compressed plates of a white powdery substance were discovered concealed inside her luggage. Subsequent analysis by the LDEA’s laboratory team confirmed the substance to be cocaine, weighing 3.355 kilograms.
The street value of the seized narcotics is estimated at US$181,008.00, equivalent to roughly L$36,201,600.
In a preliminary statement, Dolo claimed she had been contacted by a long-time acquaintance, Henry Iki, a Nigerian national believed to reside in Nigeria. According to her account, Iki instructed her to retrieve a suitcase from his associate in Thailand and deliver it to a man in Monrovia, identified only as “Obi.” She alleged she was told the luggage contained only clothing and claimed no knowledge of its true contents.
In a related twist, LDEA officers arrested another individual at 1:30 AM, identified as Tony Obi, a 38-year-old Nigerian national, believed to be the brother of Henry Iki. Obi allegedly attempted to bribe LDEA officers at the airport in a bid to secure both Dolo’s release and the recovery of the suitcase. The attempt failed, and Obi was immediately taken into custody.
Both suspects are now being held pending further investigation.
The LDEA, through its Public Relations Section, emphasized its commitment to a zero-tolerance policy on illicit drugs and reaffirmed its dedication to fully enforcing Liberia’s revised drug law, which categorizes drug trafficking as a non-bailable offense.
“This arrest sends a strong and clear message to all drug traffickers, Liberia is not a safe haven for your trade. The law will be enforced without exception,” the agency stated.
The LDEA has called on the public to assist in the ongoing fight against drug trafficking by reporting suspicious behavior to its hotline: 0777-133-333.
Kerkula Blama also known as Aketella, the CEO of Geez Liberia, is the best blogger in Liberia. He is also a vlogger, On-Air Personality, curator, PRO and influencer.
