By Lincoln G. Peters
MAMBA POINT, Monrovia, June 30, 2026 – Justice Minister Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh has vowed to intensify Liberia’s fight against drug trafficking, warning that the government will pursue drug cartels and any public officials found to be protecting them.
Speaking during Liberia’s observance of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking over the weekend, Tweh said the government remains committed to dismantling drug trafficking networks while expanding treatment and rehabilitation services for those battling addiction.
The Justice Minister disclosed that during the first three months of 2026, the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) seized more than 422 kilograms of illegal narcotics and arrested 233 suspected traffickers across the country.
He also referenced the recent interception of a cocaine shipment valued at approximately US$19 million at the Roberts International Airport, describing it as evidence that Liberia’s security institutions can effectively combat drug trafficking when adequately equipped and supported.
“Let that be a lesson to the cartels who think Liberia is an easy corridor,” Tweh said. “We are watching every port, every airstrip, every route. We will pursue traffickers and the corrupt officials who protect them without fear or favor.”
He added that the government would continue working with the Ministry of Health and development partners to expand treatment services for individuals struggling with drug addiction.
“A nation that only punishes its addicted and never heals them will keep this crisis alive forever,” he said.
Tweh, however, cautioned that arrests and drug seizures alone would not resolve Liberia’s narcotics problem.
“We can lock up every street dealer in Liberia and the crisis will continue if we do not dismantle the networks profiting at the top and if we do not give our young people somewhere to go besides the drug den,” he said.
According to the Justice Minister, law enforcement efforts should focus primarily on those who manufacture, import, and traffic illegal drugs rather than solely targeting drug users.
“The law must fall heaviest on those who manufacture, import, and traffic these poisons into our communities,” Tweh said. “It cannot fall only on the addicted teenager who needs treatment, not a prison cell.”
He also warned individuals involved in drug trafficking that the government would pursue them regardless of their influence or connections.
Tweh urged Liberians to play an active role in combating drug abuse by reporting illegal drug activities, supporting individuals in recovery, and demanding accountability from public officials.
“On this National Drug Day, I am asking every Liberian, in government and out of it, in the city and upcountry, to make this fight personal,” he said.
He concluded by saying Liberia had overcome civil war, disease outbreaks, and other national crises, and should not allow drug trafficking to destroy the country’s younger generation.
