By Godgift Harris
The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) confirmed intensifying its nationwide crackdown on illicit drug trafficking and abuse.
In the aftermath of the illegal substances crack, the Agency said it has arranged 178 individuals suspected of being traffickers. Some of them were arrested with narcotics, valued over L$40.6 million. The arrest was made between September and October, 2025.
LDEA leadership made the confirmation at a press conference on Monday, November 10, 2025, at the Agency’s headquarters in Fiamah, Monrovia.
LDEA Officer-in-Charge, Fitzgerald T.M. Biago, described the latest operation as a “significant milestone” in the ongoing war against drugs. Biago is the deputy commissioner of police, but President Joseph Nyuma Boakai seconded him run the LDEA.
Flanked by his two deputies, T. Ernest Tarpeh and Patrick Kormazu, Biago disclosed that the arrests spanned the 15 counties, underscoring the Agency’s commitment to a robust, intelligence-driven national enforcement strategy.
Of the 178 individuals charged and forwarded to court, 123 are males, and 55 females, comprising 113 Liberians, and 65 foreign nationals.
“These arrests demonstrate that the war against drugs can be won if all Liberians and residents unite in the fight to rid our communities of this menace,” Biago declared.
The confiscated narcotics include: Cocaine: 395 grams, Heroin 147.6 grams, Kush 5,124 grams, Marijuana: 4,127 kilograms and Tramadol: 111,378 pills.
In addition, the LDEA impounded six vehicles, 10 motorbikes, and placed two houses under custody pending judicial proceedings.
Biago said intelligence reports pinpointed Bushrod Island and Paynesville as major drug hotspots in Montserrado County, while Grand Cape Mount and Sinoe counties recorded the highest rural seizures.
He noted that Marijuana and Kush are the most consumed substances in Montserrado, whereas Tramadol dominates usage in interior regions.
In a bid to ensure institutional integrity, Biago revealed that the Agency recently conducted a nationwide drug test among its personnel.
Out of 406 officers tested, 10 were found positive and subsequently suspended pending review by the Professional Standards Board.
The suspended officers, drawn from Bong, Margibi, Nimba, and Montserrado counties, include Agent Sunday B. Quato, Agent Kabah Walker and Agent Mariama Keita.
“Those who fight drugs must do so with clean hands,” Biago said, noting that the LDEA will maintain a zero-tolerance stance toward unprofessional or unethical conduct.
Beyond law enforcement, Biago said the Agency has expanded its preventive programs, including the establishment of 14 Peer Educator Clubs in schools across Montserrado County.