Monrovia – The Government of Liberia has announced that the owner of the Private Bar Entertainment Center in Paynesville has been formally charged in connection with the ongoing investigation into the country’s reported US$317 million drug trafficking case.
By J.H. Webster Clayeh
Speaking Tuesday at the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing, Information Minister Jerolinmek M. Piah said Leroy Harries, owner of the entertainment center, has been charged by the Liberia National Police as authorities intensify efforts to dismantle what they describe as an entrenched drug trafficking network operating in Liberia.
Piah said the investigation extends beyond the seizure of narcotics and is focused on uncovering the broader criminal organization allegedly responsible for trafficking illicit drugs into the country.
“The scope of the investigation is deep,” Piah said. “The investigation is not just about the drugs that were seized. It is also about what we now know to be an entrenched drug-related operation that has existed in the country since 2018.”
He said investigators are seeking not only to prosecute those directly linked to the recent seizure but also to dismantle the wider network behind the illicit trade.
“We want to get to the root cause of the seized drugs and bring the culprits to justice. We also want to ensure that the roots the cartels have established are uprooted. More individuals will be brought in for questioning, and if necessary, they will be charged,” Piah said.
The minister announced that Harries has been charged with criminal conspiracy, criminal facilitation, criminal solicitation, illegal possession of illicit substances, unlicensed importation of illicit drugs, money laundering, drug trafficking, trading and sale of narcotics, and economic sabotage.
Piah said the investigation remains active and warned that additional suspects could face questioning and possible prosecution as law enforcement agencies continue pursuing everyone allegedly connected to the trafficking operation.
The charges against Harries are allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of competent jurisdiction.
