By Amos Harris
Monrovia, Liberia – The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) has announced a significant breakthrough in its fight against illicit drug trafficking and abuse, revealing the arrest of 178 suspected traffickers and the seizure of narcotics valued at over L$40.6 million ($219,459 USD approximately) during intensive operations conducted nationwide between September and October 2025.
The announcement was made by the Officer-in-Charge of the LDEA, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Fitzgerald T.M. Biago, at a press conference on November 10, 2025, at the agency’s headquarters in Fiamah, Monrovia. DCP Biago hailed the operation as a “significant milestone” in the national war against drugs.
Flanked by his deputies, Col. T. Ernest Tarpeh and ACP Patrick Kormazu, DCP Biago disclosed that the arrests spanned all 15 political subdivisions, demonstrating the agency’s robust, intelligence-driven national enforcement strategy.
Of the 178 individuals charged and forwarded to court:
- Gender: 123 are males and 55 are females.
- Nationality: 113 are Liberians, and 65 are foreign nationals from Guinea, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and Sierra Leone.
Biago asserted that the arrests prove the war against drugs “can be won if all Liberians and residents unite in the fight to rid our communities of this menace.”
The LDEA also impounded six vehicles and ten motorbikes, and placed two houses under custody pending judicial proceedings.
Intelligence reports identified Bushrod Island and Paynesville as the major drug hotspots in Montserrado County. In rural areas, Grand Cape Mount and Sinoe Counties recorded the highest seizures.1 DCP Biago noted that Marijuana and Kush are the most consumed substances in Montserrado, while Tramadol dominates usage in the interior regions.
In a push for institutional integrity, Biago revealed that the LDEA recently conducted a nationwide drug test among its personnel. Out of 406 officers tested, 10 were found positive and immediately suspended pending review by the Professional Standards Board.
The suspended officers were drawn from Bong, Margibi, Nimba, and Montserrado Counties, and include Agent Sunday B. Quato, Agent Kabah Walker, and Agent Mariama Keita.
“Those who fight drugs must do so with clean hands,” Biago emphasized, stressing that the LDEA will maintain a zero-tolerance stance toward unprofessional or unethical conduct.
Beyond enforcement, the agency is expanding its preventive programs. This includes establishing 14 Peer Educator Clubs in schools across Montserrado County and 10 Community Anti-Drug Action Committees to raise public awareness and strengthen grassroots resistance to drug abuse.
“These initiatives are designed to protect our youth—the most vulnerable victims of drug addiction,” Biago said.
Since assuming leadership, DCP Biago has implemented several reforms, including rotating county commanders, conducting policy reviews, and introducing standardized administrative procedures. He commended President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s administration for providing logistical and institutional support, describing it as a “clear demonstration of political will” to bolster the national fight against narcotics.
The LDEA has invited the media, civil society organizations, and the general public to witness the public burning of the seized narcotics at Disco Hill, Margibi County, scheduled for November 11, 2025.
“Together, we can and we will defeat the scourge of illicit drugs in Liberia,” Biago affirmed.