By: Elizabeth A. Kaine
The Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA) has made a significant seizure at the Liberia-Sierra Leone border, confiscating a minibus packed with 400 compressed plates of marijuana in Bo Waterside, Grand Cape Mount County.
During a routine search, LDEA agents intercepted the minibus bearing license plate AG 1253, but the driver escaped and is currently being pursued by law enforcement. The vehicle has been impounded.
This seizure highlights concerns about Liberia’s growing drug problem, particularly the inflow of narcotics through its borders. Bo Waterside is a known hotspot for drug trafficking, with marijuana being the most widely used substance.
Liberia’s drug epidemic has severe consequences, especially for its youth. Many have fallen victim to substance abuse, becoming part of a vulnerable group known as “Zogos.” Factors contributing to this crisis include peer pressure, poverty, abuse, and weak family support systems.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reports that Africa is a key transit route for cocaine, heroin, and marijuana from South America to Europe. The Sahel region has seen a dramatic increase in cocaine seizures.
President Boakai established a special taskforce on drugs, but its progress has been slow, and its budget was recently slashed by over $1 million.
