GLS Group, the parent company behind GLS Mengies, is one of Liberia’s most prominent logistics and trade infrastructure firms. Established in 2012, the Liberian-owned company is managed by Peter King and his brother, Paul (pictured above).

MARGIBI COUNTY – The investigation into the recent multi-kilogram cocaine seizure at Roberts International Airport (RIA) has taken a significant new turn, with the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) securing a court order compelling GLS Mengies, the airport’s cargo concession operator, to produce critical documents and surveillance footage that investigators believe could assist in unravelling the circumstances surrounding the drug trafficking case.

Documents obtained from the 13th Judicial Circuit Court for Margibi County show that the LDEA successfully petitioned the court for a Writ of Subpoena Duces Tecum against the management of GLS Mengies.

The writ, signed by the Clerk of Court, Edward N. Boakai, under the authority of Resident Circuit Judge Victoria Worlobah Duncan, directs the company to appear before the court on June 29, 2026.

According to the court order, GLS Mengies has been instructed to produce shipping waybills, related cargo documentation, and all Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) footage connected to activities occurring on June 5, 6, 7, and 8, 2026, as well as May 22, 2026.

The subpoena specifically references incidents involving substances discovered in boxes believed to contain cocaine within facilities associated with airport cargo operations.

The development comes amid growing attention surrounding what authorities have described as one of Liberia’s most significant recent narcotics interceptions. The seizure, which reportedly involved cocaine concealed in cargo shipments moving through Roberts International Airport, has raised questions about how the illicit substances entered the country’s cargo handling system and whether proper screening procedures were followed.

Investigators are believed to be focusing on reconstructing the movement of the suspicious shipments through the airport’s logistics chain. By obtaining shipping records and surveillance footage, authorities hope to identify individuals who handled the cargo, trace the origin and destination of the consignments, and establish a timeline of events leading up to the discovery of the narcotics.

The court’s demand for both documentation and video evidence suggests that authorities are seeking a comprehensive understanding of how the cargo was processed, stored, and transported within the airport’s freight system.

The subpoena itself does not accuse GLS Mengies or its management of any wrongdoing. Rather, it seeks information that investigators believe may be relevant to the ongoing criminal probe. Under Liberian law, a subpoena duces tecum is commonly used to compel individuals or institutions to produce documents or evidence deemed necessary to a judicial proceeding or criminal investigation.

GLS Group, the parent company behind GLS Mengies, is one of Liberia’s most prominent logistics and trade infrastructure firms. Established in 2012, the Liberian-owned company is managed by Peter King and his brother, Paul. Paul, FPA has learned was due in Monrovia Wednesday. It is unclear whether he arrived.

GLS Group was created to address longstanding structural challenges within the country’s trade and cargo logistics sector. Over the years, the company has evolved from a traditional freight-forwarding enterprise into a major logistics infrastructure developer, with substantial investments in cargo-handling facilities and bonded warehouse operations.

The company currently operates under a 25-year cargo concession agreement at Roberts International Airport, giving it a central role in cargo management and freight operations at Liberia’s primary international gateway. In addition to its airport operations, GLS manages a 5,000-square-meter bonded inland warehouse facility, positioning the company as a key player in the country’s import and export supply chain.

Unlike many logistics providers that function primarily as intermediaries, GLS adopted an asset-backed business model that emphasizes direct investment in trade infrastructure. The company has invested in bonded warehouses, cargo terminals, and other logistics assets intended to strengthen Liberia’s commercial transportation network and facilitate international trade.

Because of its strategic position within the country’s cargo ecosystem, investigators are expected to carefully examine records maintained by GLS as they seek to determine the route taken by the narcotics shipment and identify all parties involved in its movement. Shipping manifests, cargo release records, and surveillance footage could prove crucial in establishing whether the suspicious boxes passed through standard cargo processing channels or whether irregularities occurred during handling.

The court’s intervention comes as public pressure continues to mount on law enforcement authorities to ensure that the investigation is thorough, transparent, and free from political interference. The recent cocaine seizure has sparked nationwide debate about the effectiveness of Liberia’s anti-drug enforcement regime and the vulnerability of critical transportation infrastructure to international trafficking networks.