Credit: Verity News
MONROVIA – The investigation into the 333-kilogram cocaine scandal linked to Roberts International Airport (RIA) took another significant turn Saturday following the reported seizure of a taxi allegedly used to transport the narcotics and the arrest of its operator.
By Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@frontpageafricaonline.com
The development, announced by investigators affiliated with Verity Online News, is being viewed as a potentially important breakthrough in efforts to unravel the network believed to have coordinated the movement of large quantities of cocaine through Liberia’s main international gateway.
According to reports, the vehicle, identified as a commercial taxi bearing license plate number 10609, was allegedly used on multiple occasions to transport cocaine destined for Roberts International Airport. Investigators claim the taxi played a role in moving both the initial 100-kilogram shipment allegedly delivered on May 22 and a second consignment weighing 233 kilograms on June 5.
The reported seizure of the vehicle is expected to draw increased attention from law enforcement authorities because investigators believe it may provide crucial evidence regarding how the cocaine was transported from one location to another before reaching the airport.
Authorities, reports say, are expected to examine the vehicle’s movement history, possible communication records, and any links between the operator and other persons under investigation.
Investigators said they spent several days tracing the vehicle’s whereabouts before locating it Saturday morning in Monrovia. After identifying the taxi and its operator, members of the investigative team reportedly maintained surveillance while simultaneously notifying the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) and the Liberia National Police (LNP).
According to report, the vehicle was first spotted around 10:30 a.m. and remained under observation as it moved through several communities. During the operation, investigators reportedly obtained photographs of the taxi while it was parked at Anthony Shop in the Airfield Junction area of Lakpazee. The images were subsequently shared with law enforcement authorities as part of the intelligence package supporting the operation.
The surveillance reportedly continued as the operator traveled between Lakpazee and ELWA Junction before authorities intervened. Investigators said the information provided to security agencies ultimately led to the arrest of both the vehicle and its operator.
The arrest is expected to intensify scrutiny of the logistical network behind the cocaine shipments. While much of the public attention has focused on airport security procedures and individuals directly connected to the drugs, investigators believe transportation arrangements may reveal additional actors who facilitated the movement of the narcotics before they reached Roberts International Airport.
The latest development also raises new questions about whether other vehicles may have been involved in the transportation chain and whether additional suspects remain under surveillance. Investigators have suggested that the operation was unlikely to have been carried out by a single individual and may have involved a broader network working across different stages of the trafficking process.
Although the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency has yet to publicly disclose details regarding the arrest or possible charges against the operator, public interest in the case continues to grow as new information emerges.
