TIENII, GRAND CAPE MOUNT COUNTY – The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) has confiscated 480 packs of tramadol at the Tienii checkpoint in Grand Cape Mount County, a major seizure that underscores the agency’s ongoing crackdown on illicit substances.
According to the LDEA, the operation took place on Thursday, September 24, 2025, when officers intercepted a petroleum tanker belonging to the Kailondo Petroleum Company. The vehicle, a green Kailondo truck with license plate H04139, was reportedly traveling from Jende-Wonde toward Monrovia when it was flagged based on intelligence.
In its official statement, the LDEA confirmed that “three bags containing a total of 480 packs of tramadol were discovered concealed aboard the tanker.” The illicit consignment is valued at LD$9,600,000, approximately US$50,526.32, according to Commander Sandouno N. Faya of the Grand Cape Mount County Detachment.
Three individuals were apprehended in connection with the incident. They include Edward Dagoseh Jr., 51, a resident of Jacob Town, Paynesville, identified as an employee of the Liberia Immigration Service with ID number LIS-J-16-14 and alleged owner of the contraband; Ali Fofana, 41, a resident of Gardnersville with Driver’s License No. DL013517; and another passenger identified only as Siafa, who is currently being sought for additional verification.
The LDEA disclosed that the suspects “have been turned over to the Investigations Section of the Grand Cape Mount County Detachment for further inquiry and will be forwarded to the judiciary for trial in due course.” Meanwhile, the agency has impounded the petroleum tanker and extended an official invitation to Atty. George Kailondo, owner of the petroleum company, to appear at its head office for a conversation regarding the matter.
It is worth noting that the Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Health, recently placed a nationwide moratorium on the sale and distribution of tramadol as part of efforts to combat the country’s escalating drug epidemic. In a press release issued on Thursday, August 21, 2025, and signed by Health Minister Dr. Louise M. Kpoto, the Ministry declared that the measures are in line with Part V, Chapter 41 of the Public Health Law, which governs the control of narcotic drugs in Liberia. The Ministry said that effective Friday, August 22, 2025, tramadol use would be restricted only to licensed hospital settings under professional medical supervision.
The Ministry further warned that violators of the directive will face “immediate penalties, including arrest, license revocation, and product seizure.” According to the MoH, tramadol, a synthetic opioid, has become the most abused drug in Liberia, fueling addiction, mental health decline, violence, and social instability.
As part of heightened response measures, the LDEA said it has “intensified rigorous security checks at all border points to curb the inflow of dangerous substances into Liberia” and encouraged citizens to continue sharing intelligence with authorities.
“The fight against drug traffickers and distributors requires strong community cooperation,” the statement stressed, urging the public to remain vigilant.
