By Amos Harris
Liberia’s narcotics crisis is deepening as drug cartels entrench their networks across Montserrado and Grand Cape Mount Counties, fueling crime, addiction, and rising insecurity.
Residents of Monrovia’s 17 districts say they increasingly live under the control of traffickers who appear to operate with impunity despite repeated government seizures.
The latest incident underscored the scale of the problem when the Liberia National Police intercepted 100,800 grams of compressed marijuana, valued at US$9,576, in a Jacobs Town raid last week.
According to the LNP, each unit of the marijuana priced at about US$76 was already destined for neighborhood distribution.
Yet, no arrests were made, as suspects reportedly fled “minutes before the raid,” Deputy Police Director for Administration Ernest Tarpeh disclosed.
“We are confident our intelligence network will bring those responsible to justice,” Tarpeh said.
The drugs were subsequently handed over to the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA).
Its Officer-in-Charge, Fitzgerald Biagon, praised the bust but warned that seizures alone will not resolve the crisis.
“Arresting street dealers is not enough we must dismantle the networks importing and financing these operations,” Biagon emphasized.
The seizure has triggered outrage and suspicion among citizens, who question how such a large consignment bypassed border and checkpoint security.
Civil society leaders have raised concerns about negligence or possible collusion within security agencies.
Community representatives from Paynesville, New Georgia, Clara Town, and West Point blame the unchecked inflow of narcotics for spikes in armed robbery, gang activity, and violence.
Many accuse law enforcement of protecting traffickers while focusing on low-level users.
“Drugs are destroying our youth in every district,” a West Point resident told this paper.
“Every time narcotics are seized, no one is prosecuted. Who is protecting these people”
Analysts warn Liberia’s drug scourge is no longer a mere policing challenge but a national emergency threatening public health, social stability, and the country’s future workforce.
They caution that unless trafficking syndicates and their financiers are exposed, Liberia risks drifting into a narco-economy.
Critics also point to powerful individuals including figures in religious and community institutions who are believed to shield or profit from the trade.
Experts insist that defeating narcotics cartels will require more than raids and seizures.
They call for collaboration among community leaders, women’s groups, youth organizations, landlords, and ordinary citizens to dismantle networks and resist cartel influence.
Without urgent collective action, many fear Liberia could soon face a full-blown drug crisis with devastating consequences for generations to come.
