Liberia has charged former Vice‑President Jewel Howard‑Taylor with drug trafficking, money laundering and other offences, according to a statement by the justice ministry.
Howard‑Taylor, who served under President George Weah from 2018 to 2024, was taken into custody before boarding a flight at Roberts International Airport in Monrovia.
She has yet to comment publicly on the accusations.
Allegations: Prosecutors say the former high‑ranking official illegally imported, sold and transported controlled drugs, and aided other traffickers. Three foreign nationals – two Croatians and one Ukrainian – have also been charged in absentia as part of the same network.
The case comes as Liberia embarks on a wide‑reaching crackdown on the trans‑national drug trade, particularly cocaine smuggling from South America through West Africa.
Howard‑Taylor’s tenure at the heart of President Weah’s administration, which was marred by allegations of corruption and financial mismanagement, comes under new scrutiny. In 2024, Weah was succeeded by President Joseph Boakai, who vowed to tackle corruption and limit the foothold of traffickers in the country.
West Africa has become a key transit corridor for cocaine destined for Europe, making Liberia’s efforts to counter drug trafficking a high‑priority issue for regional security.
