Monrovia-The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) has clarified recent reports regarding cash allegedly seized during a drug operation at the Bo Waterside Point of Entry in Grand Cape Mount County, emphasizing that all funds and narcotics recovered have been properly handled according to agency procedures.
Deputy Officer-in-Charge of Operations, Patrick B. Kormazu, responded to media coverage and public inquiries surrounding the February 19, 2026 operation, which resulted in the arrest of Bubakar Jalloh, an 18-year-old Guinean national residing in Caldwell.
Officers reportedly recovered 519 packs and 19 strips of Tapentadol or Tramadol, with an estimated street value of over US$72,000 (approximately L$13 million).
The reports raised questions regarding US$150,000 in cash allegedly found in the vehicle transporting the drugs.
Conflicting accounts emerged from internal documents and audio recordings, prompting calls for clarity.
Kormazu stated that the cash seized during the operation was received from the arresting officers and subsequently deposited at the Liberia Bank for Development and Investment (LBDI) after the alleged owner failed to substantiate a legal claim or provide proof of the source.
“The individual claiming the funds was not present at the scene during the arrest,” Kormazu explained to FrontPageAfrica.
“The driver who transported the money reportedly left before the search was completed, and the sender did not present themselves before the case was forwarded to court.”
He added that the agency requested an internal review through its Professional Standards Division to ensure proper documentation and transparency, even as certain procedural steps were reportedly carried out without submitting a full report to agency leadership.
Customs authorities at the border also noted they were not informed of any seized cash requiring assessment under Liberia’s asset forfeiture regulations, contributing to the public confusion.
The LDEA confirmed that all seized funds remain secured, and that the suspect involved in the operation has been turned over to the courts and is currently in pre-trial detention awaiting trial.
The agency emphasized that operations targeting illicit drug trafficking continue across Liberia, and that its personnel remain committed to conducting seizures and arrests in accordance with legal and procedural standards.
This clarification comes amid heightened scrutiny of Liberia’s anti-drug efforts, following both media coverage and public interest in transparency and accountability for seized assets and ongoing investigations.
