LDEA Steps Up Anti-Drug War, 178 Suspects Sent To Court, L$40.6 Million Worth Of Narcotics Seized
By Amos Harris
IPNEWS: The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) has intensified its nationwide crackdown on illicit drug trafficking and abuse, arresting 178 suspected traffickers and seizing narcotics valued at over L$40.6 million between September and October 2025.
Announcing the development at a press conference held on November 10, 2025, at the agency’s headquarters in Fiamah, Monrovia, the Officer-in-Charge of the LDEA, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Fitzgerald T.M. Biago, described the latest operation as a “significant milestone” in the ongoing war against drugs in Liberia.
Flanked by his two deputies, Col. T. Ernest Tarpeh and ACP Patrick Kormazu, DCP Biago disclosed that the arrests spanned all 15 political subdivisions, underscoring the agency’s commitment to a robust, intelligence-driven national enforcement strategy.
Of the 178 individuals charged and forwarded to court, 123 are males and 55 females, comprising 113 Liberians and 65 foreign nationals from Guinea, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and Sierra Leone.
“These arrests demonstrate that the war against drugs can be won if all Liberians and residents unite in the fight to rid our communities of this menace,” Biago declared.
The confiscated narcotics include:Cocaine: 395 grams, Heroin 147.6 grams, Kush 5,124 grams, Marijuana: 4,127 kilograms and Tramadol: 111,378 pills
In addition, the LDEA impounded six vehicles, ten motorbikes, and placed two houses under custody pending judicial proceedings.
According to Biago, intelligence reports pinpointed Bushrod Island and Paynesville as major drug hotspots in Montserrado County, while Grand Cape Mount and Sinoe Counties recorded the highest rural seizures.
He further noted that Marijuana and Kush are the most consumed substances in Montserrado, whereas Tramadol dominates usage in interior regions.
In a bid to ensure institutional integrity, Biago revealed that the agency recently conducted a nationwide drug test among its personnel.
Out of 406 officers tested, 10 were found positive and subsequently suspended pending review by the Professional Standards Board.
The suspended officers, drawn from Bong, Margibi, Nimba, and Montserrado Counties, include Agent Sunday B. Quato, Agent Kabah Walker and Agent Mariama Keita.
“Those who fight drugs must do so with clean hands,” Biago emphasized, asserting that the LDEA will maintain a zero-tolerance stance toward unprofessional or unethical conduct.
Beyond law enforcement, Biago said the agency is expanding its preventive programs, including the establishment of 14 Peer Educator Clubs in schools across Montserrado County
Noting that 10 Community Anti-Drug Action Committees to raise public awareness and strengthen grassroots resistance to drug abuse.
“These initiatives are designed to protect our youth the most vulnerable victims of drug addiction,” he noted.
Since assuming leadership at the LDEA, DCP Biago has implemented several reforms, including rotating county commanders, conducting policy reviews, and introducing standardized administrative procedures.
He lauded President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s administration for providing logistical and institutional support, describing it as a “clear demonstration of political will” to strengthen the national fight against narcotics.
The LDEA has invited the media, civil society organizations, and the general public to witness the public burning of seized narcotics at Disco Hill, Margibi County, scheduled for November 11, 2025.
“Together, we can and we will defeat the scourge of illicit drugs in Liberia,” Biago affirmed.
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