–Lawmakers Praise Security Agencies for Major Drug Seizure but Question Why Key Suspects Were Not Arrested Before Leaving Liberia
MONROVIA – Bomi County Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe Jr. and Gbarpolu County Senator Amara M. Konneh have called for an independent investigation into Liberia’s largest reported cocaine trafficking case in recent years, commending security agencies for intercepting a massive cocaine shipment while questioning how several key suspects allegedly managed to evade arrest despite reportedly being under investigation.
In a joint statement issued following the formal charging of five individuals in connection with the attempted export of approximately 237.6 kilograms of cocaine, valued at about US$19.2 million, through Roberts International Airport (RIA), the two senators described the seizure as a stark reminder of the growing threat transnational organized crime poses to Liberia’s national security, rule of law, and international reputation.
The lawmakers praised the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), the Liberia National Police (LNP), and other members of the Joint Security for preventing the narcotics from leaving the country.
They also specifically commended Inspector General of Police Gregory O.W. Coleman and the Joint Security Team for bringing charges against five individuals allegedly linked to the trafficking operation.
Those charged include Michael U.S. Browne, also known as Rahim or Raheem Bah, Paul J. King, Oscar Browne, Emmanuel Kpah, and Usman Ali, whom investigators say were connected to the alleged criminal enterprise.
Questions Over How Suspects Left Liberia
While applauding the work of investigators, Senators Snowe and Konneh said several aspects of the investigation remain troubling and require public explanation.
According to the lawmakers, information released by law enforcement indicates that two of the accused—Oscar Browne and Paul J. King—were already outside Liberia when the investigation began and were subsequently declared suspects.
However, they noted that Michael U.S. Browne and Emmanuel Kpah were reportedly still in Liberia during the early stages of the investigation.
The senators recalled that security authorities had previously maintained that publicly identifying “persons of interest” would compromise ongoing investigations.
“If this was accurate,” the senators stated, “then an obvious question arises: how were these suspects able to evade arrest?”
They argued that Liberians deserve a full explanation regarding whether the suspects were under surveillance, whether operational failures allowed them to flee, or whether other circumstances contributed to their departure from the country’s jurisdiction.
“Serious Questions” About Security Operations
Snowe and Konneh described the circumstances surrounding the investigation as raising fundamental concerns about the effectiveness of Liberia’s security institutions.
They observed that cocaine valued at approximately US$19.2 million allegedly entered Liberia and was nearly exported through the country’s only international airport, yet none of the principal suspects known to investigators appears to have been apprehended before leaving the country.
The senators further pointed to earlier public statements by the Officer-in-Charge of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency indicating that “persons of interest” were in custody.
However, according to subsequent official accounts, the only individual presently before the court is a suspect who voluntarily returned to Liberia and surrendered upon arriving at Roberts International Airport.
“If these are indeed the facts,” the lawmakers said, “they raise serious questions about the effectiveness of our security institutions and our commitment to combating transnational organized crime.”
They questioned how such a significant international drug trafficking operation could have been uncovered without security agencies successfully arresting a single major suspect before the individuals reportedly departed Liberia.
The senators also asked whether Liberia can expect continued international confidence in its anti-narcotics efforts if investigations of this magnitude fail to secure key arrests.
Call to Dismantle Entire Criminal Network
Beyond the individuals already charged, Snowe and Konneh stressed that investigators must identify every person involved in what they believe is a sophisticated criminal enterprise.
They argued that the investigation should not end with those accused of attempting to export the cocaine but should instead expose the entire trafficking network operating behind the shipment.
Among the questions they said remain unanswered are:
- Who financed the importation of the cocaine?
- How did the drugs enter Liberia—by air, sea, or land?
- Where were the narcotics stored, concealed, or repackaged before being transported to Roberts International Airport?
- Who coordinated the logistics of the operation?
- Were financial institutions or other entities used to launder proceeds from the trafficking operation?
- Who are the local and international collaborators?
- Were any public officials or members of the security services directly or indirectly involved?
- How did investigators conclude that Emmanuel Zeon, identified as the transporter of the drugs, should be exonerated?
- How did investigators clear Ruth Gbapaywhea, an airport screener who allegedly allowed the suspicious package to pass through security screening?
“The Liberian people deserve answers to these questions,” the senators declared.
Call for Independent Internationally Supported Investigation
Describing drug trafficking as a direct threat to Liberia’s youth, families, public institutions, and national security, Snowe and Konneh urged authorities to pursue a comprehensive, impartial, and evidence-based investigation.
Given the international dimensions of the case, they called for an independent investigation conducted with the technical assistance and cooperation of Liberia’s international partners.
According to the lawmakers, the probe should identify everyone involved—from financiers and importers to traffickers, facilitators, and any public officials who may have assisted the criminal operation.
“The Liberian people deserve nothing less than the full truth, complete accountability, and justice,” the senators said.
They concluded their statement with a direct appeal to the authorities:
“We demand an answer!”
The case stems from the seizure of approximately 237.6 kilograms of cocaine at Roberts International Airport, one of the largest narcotics interceptions in Liberia’s recent history. The seizure has intensified public debate over the country’s border security, law enforcement capacity, and ability to dismantle sophisticated transnational drug trafficking networks amid growing concerns over the use of Liberia as a transit point for international narcotics trafficking.
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