Monrovia – As Liberia grapples with the fallout from the ongoing investigation into the seizure of cocaine valued at more than US$19 million, FrontPage Africa has obtained a confidential intelligence report submitted to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai in 2025 warning that the country was on a dangerous path toward becoming a “narco-state.”
By Rodney D. Sieh
The report submitted on September 19, 2025, and marked confidential and intended for presidential review, paints a troubling picture of widespread drug trafficking, institutional compromise, porous borders, and a growing public health crisis fueled by the proliferation of Kush and other synthetic narcotics.
According to the document, intelligence assessments concluded that drug trafficking networks had allegedly penetrated key security institutions, particularly the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), creating vulnerabilities that traffickers were exploiting to move narcotics through Liberia’s ports, airport, and border crossings.
The report’s executive summary warns that Liberia faces “a worsening drug crisis that threatens to destabilize national security, public health, and the country’s international reputation.”
It further cautions that without decisive intervention, the country risks international sanctions, withdrawal of foreign assistance, increased violent crime, and deeper entrenchment of criminal networks within state institutions.
“Mr. President, the integrity of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency is at its lowest point in national history. Decisive, visible, and internationally supported action, such as K9 procurement, is essential to safeguard Liberia’s sovereignty, protect public health, and restore credibility with our regional and global partners.”
Alarming Claims of Institutional Compromise
Among the report’s most explosive allegations is the claim that a significant portion of LDEA personnel were either compromised or maintained close relationships with drug dealers.
“The infiltration of the LDEA by cartel-linked operatives, along with limited access to key
entry points—including Freeport of Monrovia, Roberts International Airport (RIA), the port
of Greenville, Harper, and the Bo-Waterside corridor—creates systemic vulnerabilities. The spread of ‘Kush’ and synthetic drugs, which are cheaply available to disenfranchised youth, is intensifying Liberia’s public health crisis. Without decisive executive action, Liberia risks becoming a narco-state, which could lead to sanctions, aid withdrawal, and an increase in violent crime.
The intelligence assessment alleges that cartel-linked operatives had infiltrated sections of the anti-drug agency while critical entry points—including the Freeport of Monrovia, Roberts International Airport (RIA), Greenville Port, Harper Port, and the Bo-Waterside corridor—remained vulnerable to trafficking activities.
The report also names senior security officials and alleges connections to trafficking networks.
Compromised Leadership?
The findings identified a network of individuals allegedly linked to a suspected drug distribution operation, with authorities examining the roles and relationships among several persons of interest.
The report identified former Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency Director General Abraham Kromah as a compromised state actor. Kromah was subsequently dismissed by President Joseph Boakai following recommendations from a special presidential committee established to investigate internal disputes and operational challenges that plagued the LDEA during his tenure. He was recently appointed as head of the taskforce dedicated to curb illicit mining activities in Liberia.
Speaking on Spoon FM on Tuesday, Kromah denied having any links to a drug cartel. He questioned the authenticity of the report, claiming to know its source and disputing its credibility.
Kromah acknowledged that he recruited one of the accused LDEA officers, Ayouba Kromah, during his tenure as head of the agency. However, he maintained that there was no record at the time indicating that the officer had been compromised. He added that he later learned Ayouba Kromah had been dismissed by the current leadership of the LDEA.
Kromah also warned that he would pursue legal action against anyone who falsely maligns his reputation, asserting that he has worked diligently throughout his career to build his character and professional standing.
Izetta is alleged to be a principal contact and key distributor within a network reportedly connected to Nigerian nationals operating in Liberia. Investigators claim that Izetta coordinated distribution activities through a network of associates.
The report further alleges that Patrick Kormanzu, described as having maintained a long-term romantic relationship with Izetta, held the position of D.F.O. and was closely associated with the operation.
Among those identified in the findings is Solomon Sullie, who is alleged to have served as a distributor working under Izetta’s direction.
The report also names Marianas Keita, identified as the mother of an officer of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), Tata Kaba. Investigators allege that she functioned as an informant, sales agent, and payout coordinator within the network.
Additionally, Cynthia Jackson is alleged to have operated as a field agent responsible for handling deliveries and drop-off activities. The findings indicate that Jackson assumed those responsibilities following the death of her mother, Lydia Stubberfield, who was reportedly involved in similar operational functions.
Kush Epidemic Raising Public Health Concerns
The report identifies Kush—a synthetic and often chemically unstable drug—as one of the greatest emerging threats facing Liberia.
According to the intelligence assessment, widespread youth unemployment and social disenfranchisement have fueled a surge in drug abuse among young people.
The report states that overdose clusters had been observed in several counties, including Montserrado, Nimba, Bong, Grand Bassa, and Grand Cape Mount.
It warns that the increasing availability of cheap narcotics is creating what it describes as “a generation of addicted minors and young adults,” with potentially devastating consequences for Liberia’s future workforce and social stability.
The document further notes that Liberia lacks adequate detoxification centers and medication-assisted treatment programs, limiting the country’s ability to respond effectively to growing addiction rates.
Ghettos and Distribution Networks Mapped
In a separate confidential annex, intelligence officials reportedly mapped more than 60 alleged drug ghettos across Montserrado County.
The document identifies communities in Bushrod Island, Central Monrovia, Gardnersville, Paynesville, and Congo Town as major distribution hubs for Kush, marijuana, heroin, cocaine, and tramadol.
The annex alleges that some distributors and facilitators include ex-combatants, criminal gangs, politically connected individuals, and compromised law enforcement officers.
It also identifies the Freeport area and the RIA corridor as key trafficking routes used by drug networks.
Echoes of Guinea-Bissau Warning
Drawing parallels with Guinea-Bissau’s descent into one of West Africa’s most notorious cocaine transit hubs, the report warns that Liberia faces similar risks if urgent reforms are not undertaken.
The intelligence assessment states that delayed action could lead to the entrenchment of cartels within state institutions, growing international isolation, and the loss of an entire generation of Liberian youth to addiction and violence.
Recommendations to the President
To combat the growing threat, the report recommends sweeping reforms, including strengthening border security, establishing a National Drug Observatory, creating real-time narcotics monitoring systems, expanding treatment services, and mobilizing international support.
One of its key recommendations is the procurement of trained K-9 units for deployment at Roberts International Airport, the Freeport of Monrovia, Bo-Waterside, and other strategic entry points.
The report argues that narcotics detection dogs remain among the most effective tools globally for identifying concealed drugs in cargo, vehicles, and passenger luggage.
It also recommends integrating K-9 units into joint operations involving the Armed Forces of Liberia, the Liberia National Police, the National Security Agency, and the LDEA.
New Questions Amid Cocaine Investigation
The emergence of the report comes at a time when the Boakai administration faces mounting scrutiny over the investigation into the seizure of approximately 238 kilograms of cocaine at Roberts International Airport earlier this year.
The case, one of the largest drug busts in Liberia’s history, has sparked concerns about the extent of organized criminal influence within state institutions and renewed calls for a comprehensive review of Liberia’s anti-drug architecture.
The confidential report raises fresh questions about what actions, if any, were taken following its submission to the President and whether some of the vulnerabilities identified by intelligence officials may have contributed to recent high-profile narcotics cases.
Neither the Executive Mansion nor the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency had publicly commented on the contents of the intelligence assessment as of press time.
The document suggests that senior government officials were warned months before the US$19 million cocaine seizure that Liberia’s anti-drug institutions were facing severe challenges and that urgent intervention was needed to prevent the country from becoming a major hub for transnational narcotics trafficking.
Did Liberia Ignore the Warning Signs?
The disclosure of a confidential intelligence report allegedly submitted to President Joseph Boakai in 2025 adds a new and potentially troubling dimension to the ongoing investigation into Liberia’s US$19 million cocaine seizure. Beyond the troubling findings, the report raises a fundamental question: Were the warning signs of a deepening narcotics crisis identified long before the country’s largest drug bust, and if so, what was done about them?
At the center of the report is a stark assessment that Liberia was approaching conditions commonly associated with a “narco-state”—a country where drug trafficking organizations exert significant influence over public institutions, security agencies, and economic systems. While such terminology is often viewed as alarmist, the document’s significance lies less in the label itself and more in the specific vulnerabilities it identified.
The report warned of compromised anti-drug enforcement structures, weak border controls, inadequate surveillance at ports of entry, and the rapid spread of Kush among young Liberians. These concerns are not entirely new. Civil society groups, international partners, and security experts have for years warned that Liberia’s geographic location, weak enforcement capacity, and porous borders make it vulnerable to transnational drug trafficking networks.
What makes the intelligence assessment noteworthy is that it reportedly came from within the security establishment and was directed to the highest office in the country.
Was the LDEA subjected to internal review?
The answers to these questions will likely determine whether the report becomes a footnote or a major accountability issue.
The Cocaine Seizure Changes the Context
Had the report surfaced without the recent US$19 million cocaine seizure, it might have been dismissed by some as an exaggerated intelligence warning. However, the scale of the cocaine bust changes the context dramatically.
The seizure appears to validate at least one of the report’s central concerns: that Liberia remains vulnerable to sophisticated international trafficking operations.
The discovery of hundreds of kilograms of cocaine moving through Roberts International Airport suggests that traffickers either believed they could evade detection or had confidence in weaknesses within the system. Investigators are still determining whether those weaknesses resulted from corruption, negligence, operational failures, or a combination of all three.
Either way, the incident has transformed what may once have been viewed as theoretical security concerns into tangible national security questions.
The Kush Crisis and National Stability
Perhaps the most compelling aspect of the report is its focus on Kush and synthetic drug abuse.
While cocaine trafficking often attracts headlines because of its international dimensions, Kush has become a visible domestic crisis. Across Monrovia and other urban centers, communities increasingly report addiction, mental health deterioration, crime, and social instability linked to the drug.
The report correctly frames drug abuse not merely as a law-enforcement problem but as a public health and economic challenge. A generation struggling with addiction represents a long-term threat to productivity, education, and national development.
Even if every trafficking network were dismantled tomorrow, Liberia would still face the challenge of treating thousands of young people already caught in addiction.
A Test for the Boakai Administration
For President Boakai, the report presents both a political and governance challenge. If the document was received and acted upon, the administration may need to demonstrate what measures were taken and why those efforts proved insufficient. If the recommendations were ignored or delayed, critics will argue that opportunities to strengthen enforcement were missed.
The administration now faces growing pressure to show that the current cocaine investigation will not stop at arrests and seizures but will address systemic weaknesses that allow trafficking networks to operate.
This may require independent audits of security agencies, stronger oversight mechanisms, enhanced international cooperation, and reforms within the LDEA and other institutions responsible for narcotics enforcement.
The Bigger Question
The most important issue raised by the report is not whether Liberia is already a narco-state. It is whether the country has reached a point where criminal networks are testing the resilience of its institutions faster than reforms can strengthen them.
The answer will depend on what happens next.
The US$19 million cocaine seizure has already exposed vulnerabilities. The confidential intelligence report suggests those vulnerabilities may have been identified long before the drugs were intercepted.
Liberians now have a legitimate reason to ask whether the warning was heeded—and whether the country is prepared to confront the deeper institutional challenges that the report alleges continue to exist.
