Authorities of the Liberia National Police (LNP) are investigating a suspected mineral smuggling in Pogbaken Town, Karluway District, Maryland County, after 34 kilograms of coltan were allegedly confiscated by a Korean national, Hyeongji Choi.
According to a police source, the seizure and subsequent investigation resulted from a tip-off by the Korean national, who had disguised himself as a buyer.
The source further claimed that after purchasing the coltan from a Lebanese national identified as Kamel, a non-license holder, it was when he reported the illegal coltan mining activities to the police resulting in the ongoing investigation.
Choi, the general manager of Koos Liberia Company, which is licensed to engage in coltan business, has been working on a coltan project in collaboration with locals, including offering scholarships and building schools in the area.
In 2024, the Korean reported that his life was threatened, in connection to his involvement in exposing illegal mining activities, in the county.
By then he urged the government to investigate the threats against him, particularly reporting the illegal mining activities.
Choi, in June of that year, reported the illegal coltan mining activities to the Karlokan Magisterial Court in June 2024, detailing incidents of illegal coltan trading he had witnessed. Despite efforts to address these issues, Choi faced challenges with law enforcement and court proceedings, with conflicting accounts leading to further complexity in the legal proceedings.
Explaining his ordeal through a mobile phone interview with the Daily Observer from Maryland, Choi alleged that his case was filed before the Karloken Magisterial Court in June of 2024.
Choi narrated that in May of 2024, while he was in Monrovia trying to renew his license, he was informed that non-license holders with the help of some locals were illegally buying coltan without a valid license.
Unfortunately, neither the court nor the police had done anything to arrest the situation, until the Korean national himself had to seize and deliver the coltan to Monrovia, prompting the investigation.
Coltan is indispensable to the manufacture of all modern technological devices.
The mineral is refined to tantalum powder, which is used to make heat-resistant capacitors in laptops, cellphones, and other high-end electronic devices. The mineral is mostly found in Maryland County.
