–Highway Patrol Chief, Major Crimes Commander Charged; Airport Police Deputy Under Investigation as Authorities Say No One Is Above the Law
MONROVIA, Liberia – Liberia’s unprecedented US$317.7 million cocaine investigation has entered a dramatic new phase, with the Liberia National Police (LNP) moving against some of its own senior commanders in what authorities describe as an uncompromising effort to dismantle a sophisticated transnational drug trafficking network.
Inspector General of Police Gregory O. W. Coleman announced Thursday that senior police officers allegedly implicated in the country’s largest-ever cocaine seizure have been arrested and charged, while another high-ranking officer remains under active investigation. The move marks one of the most significant internal anti-corruption actions ever taken within the LNP and signals that investigators are now focusing on alleged insiders suspected of facilitating organized narcotics trafficking.
Senior Officers Charged
According to Coleman, investigators have identified police officers who allegedly helped escort or facilitate the movement of the cocaine after it entered Liberia.
Among those charged are:
- Waddell Kwabo, Chief of the Liberia National Police Highway Patrol;
- Anthony Blade, Commander of the Major Crimes Unit.
Authorities also disclosed that a Deputy Police Commander assigned at Roberts International Airport (RIA) remains under investigation over alleged links to the trafficking operation.
The arrests represent a significant escalation in the investigation, which has steadily expanded from foreign nationals and civilian suspects to include senior members of Liberia’s security establishment.
No One Above the Law
The latest development comes just days after Liberian authorities announced the seizure of approximately 3,971 kilograms (4.2 metric tons) of cocaine with an estimated street value of US$317.7 million, making it the largest narcotics seizure in the nation’s history. Investigators described the operation as evidence of a highly organized international trafficking network using Liberia as a transit point.
Coleman said the arrests demonstrate the government’s determination to pursue every individual connected to the operation, regardless of rank or position.
The Inspector General emphasized that the investigation had uncovered evidence suggesting certain officers may have assisted the movement of the narcotics after their arrival in Liberia, prompting criminal charges against those allegedly involved.
Largest Drug Bust in Liberia’s History
Authorities said the cocaine was recovered during a raid on a property in Duazon, near Monrovia, following intelligence gathered by a Joint National Security Investigation.
The operation resulted in the arrest of two foreign nationals—a Serbian citizen and a dual Colombian-Spanish national—who remain central figures in the investigation.
Officials believe the seizure exposed an extensive transnational trafficking organization operating through Liberia and using West Africa as a staging ground for cocaine shipments destined for Europe.
Separate Internal Corruption Investigation
The widening crackdown has also exposed alleged efforts to compromise the investigation itself.
Earlier in the probe, the Liberia National Police relieved and interdicted Deputy Commissioner Johnny Dean, head of Crime Services (Unit 106), after allegations surfaced that he accepted US$10,000 to provide favorable treatment to suspects already in police custody.
According to Inspector General Coleman, Dean was not accused of participating directly in cocaine trafficking but allegedly attempted to interfere with the integrity of the investigation. He has since been turned over to the Professional Standards Division for investigation.
From US$19 Million to US$317.7 Million
The latest arrests come against the backdrop of two major narcotics investigations that have unfolded within weeks of each other.
In June, authorities intercepted approximately 237.6 kilograms of cocaine valued at more than US$19 million at Roberts International Airport. Investigators later announced criminal charges against several individuals, including logistics executives and other alleged facilitators, describing the shipment as part of a broader transnational trafficking enterprise.
The subsequent discovery of nearly four metric tons of cocaine in Duazon has dramatically expanded the investigation, with authorities now examining possible links between organized criminal networks, logistics operators, financiers, facilitators, and members of Liberia’s security services. While investigators have acknowledged similarities between the two cases, they have not publicly confirmed that both shipments originated from the same trafficking organization.
Authorities Burn Seized Cocaine
On Thursday, Liberian authorities publicly destroyed approximately 4.2 metric tons of cocaine from the latest seizure, along with the 237 kilograms confiscated in the earlier RIA operation.
The destruction was intended to demonstrate that Liberia would no longer serve as a safe transit corridor for international drug traffickers.
Coleman said the exercise was meant to send “a clear message” that Liberia is no longer “a place of comfort” for organized narcotics syndicates.
Investigation Continues
The Joint National Security Investigation remains active, with authorities indicating that additional arrests remain possible as investigators continue tracing financial transactions, communications, logistics chains, and institutional links associated with the cocaine network.
Officials have repeatedly emphasized that the operation is not limited to those who physically handled the narcotics but extends to anyone who financed, facilitated, protected, or otherwise assisted the criminal enterprise.
With senior police officers now among those facing prosecution, the investigation has become one of the most consequential tests of Liberia’s anti-narcotics enforcement and institutional accountability in recent history.
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