The narcotics crisis in the country is deepening as drug cartels entrenched their networks in Montserrado and Grand Cape Mount counties.
The acts is reportedly fueling crime, addiction and rising insecurity.
Residents of Monrovia’s 17 districts say they increasingly live under the control of traffickers, who seemingly operate with impunity despite repeated government seizures.
The latest incident underscored the scale of the problem when the Liberia National Police (LNP) intercepted 100,800 grams of compressed marijuana, valued at US$9,576 in a recent Jacobs Town raid.
According to the LNP, each unit of the marijuana priced at about US$76, was already destined for distribution in the neighborhood.
Yet, no arrests were made, as suspects “fled minutes before the raid,” Deputy Police Director for Administration, Ernest Tarpeh disclosed.
“We are confident our intelligence network will bring those responsible to justice,” Tarpeh assured the public.
The drugs were subsequently handed over to the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA).
Its Officer-in-Charge, Fitzgerald T.M. Biagon, praised the bust, but warned that seizures alone will not resolve the crisis.
“Arresting street dealers is not enough; we must dismantle the networks importing, and financing these operations,” Biagon suggested.
The seizure has triggered outrage and suspicion among citizens, who questioned how such a large consignment bypassed border and security checkpoints.
Civil society leaders have raised concerns about negligence or possible collusion within security agencies to include the LDEA.
Community representatives from Paynesville, New Georgia, Clara Town, and West Point, blame the unchecked inflow of narcotics for spikes in armed robbery, gang activity, and violence.
Many accused law enforcements of protecting traffickers, while focusing on low-level users.
“Drugs are destroying our youth in every district,” a West Point resident told this newspaper.
“Every time narcotics are seized, no one is prosecuted. Who is protecting these people?” another rhetorically questioned.
Analysts warn Liberia’s drug scourge is no longer a mere policing challenge, but a national emergency threatening public health, social stability, and the country future workforce.
They caution that unless trafficking syndicates, and their financiers are exposed, Liberia risks drifting into a lawless state.
Critics also point to powerful individuals, including figures in religious, and community institutions, who are believed to shield or profit from the trade.
Experts insist that defeating narcotics cartels will require more than raids and seizures.
They call for collaboration among community leaders to dismantle networks and resist cartel influence.
Without urgent collective action, many fear that the country could soon face a full-blown drug crisis with devastating consequences for generations to come.