MONROVIA – Former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor has called on the Liberian government to ensure full legal compliance and transparency before proceeding with the planned destruction of more than US$336 million worth of seized cocaine, warning that any premature action could undermine ongoing investigations into what is believed to be a major transnational drug trafficking network.
In a statement issued Thursday, Howard-Taylor said she supports Liberia’s fight against illicit drugs and praised security agencies for intercepting the massive consignments before they could reach local communities or international markets.
“I fully support the fight against illicit drugs and commend our security institutions for intercepting this dangerous shipment,” she said, describing drug trafficking as “a grave threat to our national security, our youth, and Liberia’s international reputation.”
Her comments come as the Government of Liberia prepares to destroy two major cocaine consignments seized in separate operations. The narcotics include 3,971 kilograms of cocaine valued at approximately US$317.68 million, confiscated in the VOA Community in Paynesville, and an additional 237.6 kilograms worth more than US$19 million, intercepted at Roberts International Airport. Combined, the seizures are estimated to be worth over US$336 million.
While endorsing the government’s anti-drug campaign, Howard-Taylor cautioned that the rule of law and due process must remain paramount, particularly since authorities have indicated that investigations into the trafficking syndicate are still ongoing.
She urged the government to assure the public that all legal and forensic requirements have been completed before destroying the evidence.
According to the former vice president, authorities should confirm that comprehensive forensic examinations and laboratory analyses have been conducted, legally required samples have been preserved for future prosecution, and the chain of custody has been properly documented and secured.
She also called for assurances that every individual linked to the criminal enterprise has been identified, investigated, and charged where appropriate, and that the proposed destruction has received all necessary legal authorizations and judicial oversight.
Howard-Taylor stressed that the case extends beyond the seizure of narcotics and involves dismantling what she described as an organized transnational criminal network that allegedly used Liberia as a transit point.
“Every piece of evidence must therefore be preserved in a manner that protects the integrity of future prosecutions, whether in Liberia or through international cooperation,” she said.
She warned that destroying the drugs without complete transparency regarding the legal procedures followed could weaken future prosecutions and erode public confidence in the justice system.
“The premature destruction of evidence, without complete transparency regarding the legal procedures followed, risks undermining public confidence and could inadvertently weaken efforts to ensure that all those responsible are brought to justice,” she stated.
Howard-Taylor emphasized that her appeal was not intended to delay the destruction of the narcotics indefinitely but to ensure that justice is fully served.
“This is not a call to preserve illegal drugs indefinitely. Rather, it is a call to preserve justice,” she declared.
She concluded by urging the Government of Liberia, the Liberia National Police, the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency, the Ministry of Justice, and all relevant authorities to proceed with the destruction only after satisfying all legal, investigative, and evidentiary requirements and assuring the public that due process has been fully observed.
“Liberia’s fight against drug trafficking must be firm, credible, transparent, and fully anchored in the rule of law,” Howard-Taylor said. “In matters of this national importance, justice must not only be done—it must be seen to be done.”
