Monrovia – Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND) Chairman Mulbah K. Morlu has renewed calls for an international investigation into Liberia’s growing drug trafficking crisis, describing the reported seizure of 3,971 kilograms of cocaine valued at approximately US$317 million in Duazon, Margibi County, as evidence that the country is under threat from sophisticated transnational drug cartels.
By Jaheim T. Tumu-jaheim.tumu@frontpageafricaonline.com
Speaking at a press conference, Morlu said Liberia needs outside assistance to investigate both the latest seizure and the unresolved US$19 million cocaine case announced in June at Roberts International Airport (RIA), arguing that confidence in the ongoing investigations has been undermined.
“We need outside help,” Morlu declared. “This drug crisis is no longer a warning. It is a national emergency threatening every Liberian family. It threatens our youth, our security, our justice system, and our future.”
The Duazon operation led to the arrest of a Colombian-Spanish national and a Serbian national, the first foreign suspects detained in connection with the month-long investigation into the June cocaine seizure at RIA.
Morlu said the latest seizure should intensify—not replace—efforts to uncover those behind the earlier US$19 million cocaine bust.
“The Liberian people still deserve to know who planned, financed, protected, and benefited from that operation,” he said. “An independent investigation must determine whether both seizures are connected.”
The STAND chairman reiterated his longstanding demand that members of the Joint Security who may have had any involvement in the June operation recuse themselves from the investigation.
“Those who may be connected to the case should not be responsible for investigating it,” he said.
Although Morlu has repeatedly called for an independent investigation into the June seizure, the government has not publicly accepted his proposal to remove or sideline key members of the country’s security apparatus.
He argued that the reported questioning and detention of officials from the Liberia National Police, the National Security Agency and other state institutions demonstrates the need for impartial international investigators.
“Anyone found to have participated in drug trafficking, protected traffickers, neglected their duty, or abused public office must be suspended, investigated, prosecuted and, if convicted, punished according to law,” Morlu said. “No one should be above the law.”
Morlu further contended that a shipment of nearly four metric tons of cocaine could not have entered, moved through, or been concealed in Liberia without significant failures—or possible complicity—within the country’s security system.
“A cocaine shipment of this size could not have entered, moved through, or been hidden in Liberia without major failures in our security system,” he said.
“It is difficult to imagine such an operation taking place without possible assistance, protection, or complicity from people inside institutions responsible for protecting our borders, ports, coastlines, roads, and communities.”
Morlu also cautioned that the drugs recovered in Duazon may represent only a portion of a larger shipment, noting that international trafficking organizations often split consignments across multiple locations to minimize losses if one cache is discovered.
He warned that Liberia risks becoming a “narco-state” if authorities fail to dismantle the criminal networks behind the multimillion-dollar drug operations.
“Liberia must never become a haven for drug cartels, traffickers, corrupt officials, or anyone who profits from destroying the lives of our people,” he said.
Morlu concluded by urging President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, the Legislature, the Judiciary, civil society organizations, religious leaders and international partners to support an independent probe into both cocaine cases.
“We will continue to demand the truth until every person involved—whether foreign or Liberian, rich or poor, powerful or ordinary—is identified, investigated and brought before the law,” he said.
Mulbah Morlu’s latest statement is significant not simply because it criticizes the government, but because it seeks to elevate Liberia’s drug crisis from a domestic law enforcement issue to an international governance and security concern.
The seizure of nearly four metric tons of cocaine reportedly worth US$317 million comes while authorities are still investigating the June seizure of cocaine valued at approximately US$19 million at Roberts International Airport (RIA). The existence of two high-profile cases within weeks of each other has intensified scrutiny of Liberia’s anti-narcotics capabilities and border security.
A Shift in the Debate
Morlu is no longer focused solely on demanding answers about the June seizure. Instead, he is arguing that the latest operation demonstrates the presence of sophisticated transnational drug trafficking networks operating in Liberia. His call for an international investigation suggests a lack of confidence in the ability—or perceived independence—of domestic institutions to investigate cases of this magnitude.
If accepted, such a request would represent an extraordinary step, effectively inviting foreign investigators or international agencies to examine the integrity of Liberia’s security institutions.
Pressure on the Boakai Administration
Although the government has not publicly responded to Morlu’s latest demands, the administration faces mounting expectations to demonstrate that ongoing investigations are transparent and credible.
Earlier, opposition leader Alexander B. Cummings made a similar call on the government to seek international assistance to investigate.
Authorities arrested two foreign nationals and assured the public of a transparent investigation. However, public attention is increasingly shifting from the seizures themselves to broader questions: who financed the shipments? How did such large quantities allegedly enter Liberia? Were local officials involved? Are the June and July seizures connected?
Until those questions are answered, political pressure is likely to persist.
Political Stakes
Observers say Morlu’s remarks also carry political implications. As one of the government’s most vocal critics, his repeated calls for international intervention place additional pressure on the Boakai administration to show measurable progress in dismantling what authorities describe as international drug trafficking networks.
At the same time, his allegations that security officials should recuse themselves from the investigations remain political claims that have not been substantiated by publicly available evidence. The government has not endorsed those assertions.
International Implications
Should the investigations uncover links to international cartels, Liberia could face increased involvement from foreign law enforcement agencies and multilateral partners. Such cooperation could strengthen investigations but also raise concerns about the country’s vulnerability as a potential transit point for narcotics destined for Europe and North America.
The Bottom Line
Morlu’s latest intervention broadens the national conversation beyond individual drug seizures to questions of institutional accountability, border security and public confidence in the justice system. Whether his call for an international probe gains traction will depend largely on the government’s ability to produce credible, transparent results from its ongoing investigations. Until then, the dual cocaine cases are likely to remain among the most politically consequential law enforcement issues confronting the Boakai administration.
