By Our Reporter | Smart News Liberia
MONROVIA – Nimba County Electoral District #9 Representative Taa Wongbe has launched an attack on the Boakai administration’s handling of the ongoing US$19.2 million cocaine seizure at Roberts International Airport (RIA), accusing the Executive Branch of “incompetence or complicity” over what he described as an alarmingly slow and opaque investigation into one of Liberia’s largest recent drug trafficking cases.
In a statement on Friday, June 26, 2026, Representative Wongbe questioned whether the administration’s response reflects mere incompetence or something more troubling, arguing that the prolonged pace of the investigation is steadily eroding public confidence in the government’s commitment to combating transnational drug trafficking.
The controversy stems from the interception of six cargo boxes allegedly containing approximately 237.6 kilograms of compressed cocaine destined for Europe aboard a Brussels Airlines flight. The shipment, valued at an estimated US$19.2 million, has raised widespread concern over how such a massive consignment allegedly moved through Liberia’s principal international airport before being intercepted.
Wongbe disclosed that members of the House of Representatives initially refrained from making public statements to allow investigators to conduct their work without political interference while lawmakers simultaneously pursued legislative action behind the scenes.
He said that approach has now changed following the House’s decision to urge the suspension of Global Logistics Services (GLS) operations at Roberts International Airport, describing the company as representing a major institutional vulnerability that required immediate intervention.
According to the lawmaker, while the Legislature has acted decisively, the Executive Branch has failed to demonstrate the urgency expected in a case of such national significance.
He criticized what he described as the administration’s prolonged silence, arguing that nearly three weeks after the cocaine seizure, Liberians continue to receive limited official information regarding the identities of those allegedly responsible, the progress of investigations, and the measures being taken to dismantle the broader trafficking network.
“If this historic drug bust was linked to anyone in the opposition, we would see faces scattered across every front page, handcuffs clicking in real time, and daily aggressive briefings,” Wongbe asserted, suggesting that the government’s response has been inconsistent.
The Nimba lawmaker also questioned the performance of the Ministry of Justice and the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), claiming the public has largely relied on videos and unofficial information circulating on social media while awaiting substantive official updates.
He argued that although investigators have publicly identified several persons of interest, many Liberians remain concerned that those who allegedly financed, facilitated, or protected the attempted cocaine shipment have yet to face public accountability.
Wongbe further warned that the scale of the cocaine seizure points to possible infiltration of Liberia’s logistics and airport security systems by sophisticated international drug trafficking syndicates, describing the situation as a serious national security threat.
Referencing President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s earlier assurance that Liberia would not become a safe haven or transit corridor for international drug cartels, Wongbe maintained that strong public statements alone are insufficient unless matched by swift investigations, prosecutions, and institutional accountability.
He also highlighted recent actions by the House of Representatives, including its call for the suspension of GLS operations and its decision to summon the Ministry of Justice to provide lawmakers with detailed updates on the investigation.
Wongbe urged the government to institute daily public briefings on the case and called for the establishment of an independent multi-agency investigative mechanism, potentially involving international partners, if necessary, to guarantee transparency and restore public confidence.
“The slow pace of your folks is no longer just incompetence; it is beginning to look like complicity,” the lawmaker declared as he appealed directly to President Boakai.
As investigations into the US$19.2 million cocaine seizure continue, the case has evolved beyond a criminal investigation into a test of the Boakai administration’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and its ability to confront organized drug trafficking without fear or favor. With increasing legislative pressure, many Liberians will be watching closely to see whether the promised crackdown ultimately reaches every individual found responsible, regardless of status or political affiliation.
