MONROVIA – Liberia’s Inspector General of Police, Col. Gregory Coleman, says investigators have uncovered evidence that serving police commanders used official police vehicles to escort what authorities describe as the country’s largest cocaine shipment from its coastal landing site to a storage location before it was later seized.
Speaking Thursday at the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing, Coleman announced that two senior Liberia National Police officers have been charged and forwarded to court, marking the first time authorities have publicly accused serving officers of directly participating in the movement of the narcotics rather than obstructing investigations after the fact.
According to Coleman, investigators identified Highway Patrol Chief Wadell Quaboe and Major Crimes Chief Anthony Blaye as key figures in the operation. He said both officers were detained at Police Headquarters before being turned over to the court for prosecution.
“We have identified key state actors who played a role in transporting and escorting the movement of these narcotic substances from the landing site to the holding ground using police vehicles as escort, one in the front and one in the back,”
— Coleman said.
He also disclosed that a deputy commander assigned to the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) at Roberts International Airport has been identified as another key suspect, while investigations into additional state actors remain ongoing.
“The investigation continues with them. When the time is right, we will be putting the information out,” he added.
Coleman said investigators believe the shipment could not have entered Liberia without protection from officials.
“These traffickers would never be brave enough to enter our country with this quantity of narcotic substances without assistance,” he stated.
The police chief further claimed the investigation has traced the operation back to 2021 and is examining the alleged involvement of individuals who held presidential appointments between 2019 and 2023. He alleged that the trafficking operation was sanctioned by senior state officials under the previous administration but did not identify any individuals, present documentary evidence, or indicate whether those officials have been questioned.
“This thing was definitively sanctioned by state actors at a very, very senior level,” Coleman asserted.
Coleman said the seizure was the result of a lengthy intelligence operation rather than a chance interception. He explained that surveillance began more than a year ago under the National Security Agency before expanding to include the Executive Protection Service and the Liberia National Police, with the National Security Council later authorizing the operation.
According to him, traffickers initially attempted to move the narcotics into Liberia by air but later switched to a maritime route after that effort failed.
Coleman also reflected on Liberia’s previous anti-drug efforts, noting that a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) special operation conducted between 2008 and 2013 led to the extradition of 11 individuals linked to international drug cartels, all of whom were convicted in the United States. He claimed the cartels largely stayed away until around 2018 before attempting to re-establish operations by relying on former networks.
He revealed that the DEA is currently working alongside Liberian investigators, while Morocco and Rwanda have also been approached for technical assistance.
Justice Minister and Attorney General Cllr. Oswald Tweh, who heads the joint investigative team, said Liberia has additionally sought cooperation from the Netherlands as authorities continue to pursue international aspects of the case.
Responding to questions about allegations circulating on social media linking President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Jr. to the investigation, Tweh said no individual is beyond the reach of the inquiry.
“There will be no limits,” the Justice Minister said. “We will not jump on people because the crowd out there is yelling. Everything will be evidence-based.”
He added that anyone implicated by credible evidence would be investigated.
Coleman echoed that position but declined to discuss specific individuals, saying authorities would act when necessary.
Addressing reports about money recovered during the raid, Coleman disputed widely circulated claims about the amount seized. He said court records show investigators recovered only US$7,000, which was found inside suitcases containing the narcotics.
The Inspector General also alleged that individuals connected to the drug cartel had financed elements within the media community in an effort to influence public opinion and undermine the investigation.
“We’ve been able to verify and establish that they have infused money into the media to change the narrative, distract the key players in the investigation, and sow a serious seed of discord,”
— he claimed.
Following the remarks, the Ministry of Information clarified that Coleman was referring to certain individuals or media platforms and was not accusing Liberia’s media as a whole of receiving cartel funds. Coleman agreed with the clarification but did not provide evidence or identify any media outlet or individual allegedly involved.
Coleman declined to reveal the total number of suspects, saying investigators continue to identify new persons of interest as the inquiry progresses. He described the case as a complex criminal conspiracy and said authorities are deliberately withholding some details to avoid jeopardizing future prosecutions.
He referenced the collapse of a previous high-profile drug case, saying investigators intend to avoid repeating mistakes that could weaken the current prosecution.
The Inspector General also confirmed that the seized narcotics were being transported Thursday for destruction under a court order, with representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency present while samples were preserved for evidentiary purposes.
He dismissed a widely circulated video showing masked men following the seizure, describing it as staged.
Despite criticism from some opposition figures, Coleman said he continues to enjoy President Joseph Boakai’s confidence and remains committed to pursuing everyone involved in the trafficking network.
“So to those of you who know yourselves and know the roles you’ve played, we’re on you,” Coleman declared.
