By Lincoln G. Peters
MONROVIA, July 22, 2026 — The Office of the Honorary Consulate General of Colombia in Liberia has denied any connection to the suspected cocaine shipment recently seized in Duazon, Margibi County, amid reports that one of the arrested suspects is a Colombian national.
The consulate also said it has no record of the suspect and called on Liberia’s joint security authorities to verify the authenticity of the Colombian passport he allegedly possesses.
A Colombian and a Spanish national were reportedly arrested following the raid on a warehouse near the Duazon Baptist Seminary community along the Roberts International Airport highway. Authorities have estimated the suspected drugs’ value at US$317 million.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday at the consulate’s office on Bushrod Island, administrator Abenigo Balesh Pokor challenged anyone alleging that cocaine was trafficked through a cold-storage business connected to Honorary Consul General Houssein Cheaitou to submit evidence to law enforcement authorities.
“The consulate has no link to the importation of cocaine through the cold storage of Cheaitou Brothers Incorporated, owned by Consul General Mr. Houssein Cheaitou,” Pokor said.
He said the company has operated in Liberia since 1991 as a wholesaler of frozen meat and fish.
Pokor said the consulate has records of approximately 20 Colombian nationals residing in Liberia but has never interacted with the arrested suspect. He said the office could not establish when the individual entered Liberia or whether his passport was authentic.
“How can we call the Government of Colombia to inform them about the arrest of a Colombian for cocaine when we do not know who the person is or his passport number?” Pokor asked.
“It is even possible that he bears a Colombian passport but is not a Colombian national,” he added. “If he is connected to the cocaine, he should be prosecuted in keeping with the law.”
Pokor said the consulate has held discussions with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about tracking the arrival and departure of Colombian nationals. He said arrangements were made for the Liberia Immigration Service to provide regular updates, but the consulate had received no information about the suspect’s entry into the country.
He called on joint security authorities to investigate the suspect’s identity and authenticate his travel documents.
“Let me clearly distance the consulate from the individual’s alleged actions,” Pokor said. “We regret a situation of this kind and distance ourselves from individuals who carry Colombian passports and enter Liberia without our knowledge or being captured in our database.”
He said the consulate cannot account for Colombian tourists or residents who fail to report their presence in Liberia.
Pokor added that the consulate has not formally informed the Colombian government about the arrest because it lacks verified information concerning the suspect’s identity and nationality.
