Liberian Police Seize $370m Worth of Cocaine in Biggest Bust

Sun Sep 06 2026 05:14:50 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Liberian police seized cocaine worth over $370 million in the country’s biggest drug bust, targeting a suspected storage site near Monrovia after years of investigations.

In a sweeping raid, Liberian law‑enforcement officials destroyed a lorry brimming with sealed cocaine bags, valued at more than $370 million. The seizure marks the largest drug bust in Liberia’s history, following an investigation that began in 2018. Two foreign suspects—one holding Spanish and Colombian passports, the other Serbian—were arrested, and local police say the cargo’s origin and destination remain unclear. Vice‑President Jeremiah Koung praised the operation as a turning point in the fight against trafficking.

Liberian Police Seize $370m Worth of Cocaine in Biggest Bust

Law‑enforcement officers on Tuesday dismantled a suspected illegal storage facility on the outskirts of Monrovia, uncovering dozens of sealed bags and boxes of cocaine that police say are worth more than $370 million at street prices.

Police chief Gregory Coleman confirmed that forensic testing had verified the cargo as high‑grade cocaine. The bust is described by authorities as the largest drug seizure yet in Liberia’s history.

The operation was the culmination of a long‑running investigation that began in 2018 and focused on trafficking networks that use Liberia as a transit point for South‑American cocaine destined for Europe. “Over the last one‑and‑a‑half years, we have been surveilling them and this is the result,” said Coleman.

Two foreigners were arrested during the raid: one held Spanish and Colombian passports, the other had a Serbian passport. No formal charges have yet been announced, and investigators are still determining from where the drugs originated and their intended destination.

Vice‑President Jeremiah Koung lauded the security forces, saying that anyone found culpable would “feel the full weight of the law, regardless of who you are.” The raid follows a similar seizure at Roberts International Airport last month in which nearly 200 compressed blocks of cocaine were found hidden in cargo that had been falsely declared as food seasoning and textiles.

The airport incident had sparked political debate, with critics accusing authorities of delays that allowed suspects to flee. President Joseph Boakai has since ordered a joint investigation involving the police and the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency, and international arrest warrants are being pursued for the remaining suspects.

West Africa remains a key transit route for cocaine moving from South America to Europe, with at least 30% of shipments passing through the region according to the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime. Cocaine seizures in the area have risen steadily since 2019, reaching around 30 tonnes in 2025, while local consumption of crack and other forms has also increased.

For more on the evolving drug‑trafficking landscape, follow @BBCAfrica on Twitter, or view the full report on the BBC news site.