MONROVIA – The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) has arrested a suspect in connection with the February 1, 2025, drug trafficking case involving a Kenyan and a Liberian national.
On Saturday, June 14, 2025, LDEA officers arrested Prince Okekeh, also known as Emmanuel Cmbah, a Nigerian national residing on Ruth Perry Road in Paynesville. He is currently undergoing an investigation.
Okekeh’s arrest follows leads from earlier investigations involving two other suspects: Larnah B. Arondo, a Kenyan national, and Abel Somah Gbedia, a Liberian. Arondo was intercepted at the Roberts International Airport (RIA) after arriving on Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET-933 from Thailand at approximately 3 AM on February 1, 2025. She attempted to smuggle 8.642 kilograms of heroin into Liberia. The drugs, with an estimated street value of US$388,889, were seized by LDEA and customs officers during a routine search based on intelligence.
According to statements provided to investigators by suspect Somah, he was only contracted to pick up Arondo at the airport as part of his regular taxi duties and had been issued a visa to facilitate the pickup. This testimony led officers to place Okekeh under surveillance, culminating in his arrest.
In her earlier statement to LDEA and Customs authorities, suspect Arondo claimed that she was asked by a man identified only as “Alex,” whom she trusted from her time in Addis Ababa, Tanzania, to deliver a package (referred to as a canopy). She claimed she was unaware the package contained illicit drugs. These remarks were previously shared during a February press conference.
Following their arrest, both Arondo and Somah were formally charged and indicted by the state. They are currently held in pre-trial detention as legal proceedings continue.
Upon the arrest of Okekeh, the Director General of the LDEA, Mr. Anthony K. Souh, along with his deputies—Gwee Forkpa, Director for Administration, and Sabastine Farr, Director for Operations—reaffirmed the Agency’s determination to bring every individual linked to the US$388,889 drug case to justice.
Director Souh commended the tireless work of LDEA officers despite limited resources and extended his appreciation to the Joint Security Forces and international partners for their continued support in enhancing the agency’s capacity to combat transnational drug crimes. He further emphasized the Agency’s readiness to pursue all legal avenues to ensure accountability, including the prosecution of any LDEA personnel found to be complicit.
The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency reiterates its unwavering commitment to combating drug trafficking and abuse across Liberia.
