By Amos Harris
The Operational Manager of Global Logistics Services (GLS), Paul Jamaal King, has been remanded to the Monrovia Central Prison, commonly known as South Beach. His detention follows formal charges by the Ministry of Justice in connection with an alleged international cocaine trafficking operation involving narcotics valued at approximately US$19 million. King appeared before the Monrovia City Court following his arrest, where he faced multiple criminal charges including unlicensed importation, exportation, transportation, and possession of controlled substances, as well as illicit trafficking, criminal conspiracy, criminal facilitation, and criminal solicitation.
According to the Ministry of Justice, investigators believe the case is linked to an international drug trafficking syndicate that attempted to smuggle six boxes containing suspected cocaine through Roberts International Airport (RIA). The shipment was destined for a consignee in Birmingham, England, using Brussels Airlines. Court documents allege that the conspiracy began on June 5, 2026, when King contacted Express Handling Services (EHS) General Manager Arthur B. Abdullai via WhatsApp, instructing him to prepare an airway bill for six boxes declared to contain lappas and Maggi cubes.
Investigators claim EHS prepared the shipment documents based on the information provided by King and subsequently assigned employees Archie Nyafor and Emmanuel Zeon to collect the cargo from King’s residence on V.P. Road in Sinkor. Authorities allege the team received the six boxes along with US$2,150 in shipping fees before transporting the shipment to Roberts International Airport. The Ministry of Justice further alleges that although King was outside Liberia at the time, he instructed his housemaid, Marie Gardea, to hand over the cargo and cash to the EHS representatives.
The shipment was subsequently processed through GLS Menzies at the airport. According to the police charge sheet, airport officials became suspicious after discovering discrepancies between the declared weight on the airway bill and the actual weight of the shipment. This inconsistency prompted additional security screening. During an X-ray examination, security officer Ruth Gbapaywhea detected suspicious dark images inside the boxes and immediately alerted Security Director Mohammed Gbowrah, who ordered that the shipment be withheld for a physical inspection.
Investigators say the inspection, conducted on June 7, uncovered a white powdery substance suspected to be cocaine concealed inside the first box. Authorities further claim that Emmanuel Zeon, who was present during the inspection, fled the scene immediately after the discovery.
The investigation also alleges that GLS Menzies employee Philip Yeoh Jr. informed King of the discovery through WhatsApp and sent him photographs of the suspected narcotics. Prosecutors claim King then instructed Yeoh to persuade airport security personnel to release the shipment, even forwarding two telephone numbers and stating that individuals were on their way to the airport with money to facilitate its release. According to the charge sheet, Michael U.S. Browne, also known as Rahim Bah or Polo Bah, subsequently contacted airport security officers and offered US$10,000 to secure the cargo, with an additional US$600 discussed as part of the effort to recover the shipment before authorities could seize it.
Police also allege that after learning the shipment had been intercepted, King attempted to delete portions of his WhatsApp conversations with Philip Yeoh Jr. However, investigators note that Yeoh preserved screenshots of the exchanges, which prosecutors intend to use as evidence during the trial. The investigation further references a recorded telephone conversation in which Browne allegedly assured King that “the goods will leave this Friday,” while explaining that heavy rainfall had delayed the arrival of a person traveling to the airport.
The Ministry of Justice has identified several additional suspects, including Michael U.S. Browne, Usman Ali, Oscar Brown, Emmanuel Kpah, and others who remain at large as investigators continue efforts to dismantle what they describe as a broader international drug trafficking network. Authorities maintain that the investigation remains active and additional arrests are possible as evidence continues to emerge. The Ministry emphasizes that the case underscores Liberia’s ongoing efforts to combat transnational drug trafficking through Roberts International Airport.
The allegations outlined in the police charge sheet have not yet been tested in court, and Mr. King and all other accused persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
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