Liberian politicians and activists have warned that the UK risks becoming a hub for cocaine trafficking after two major drug busts in the African nation. More than £14m worth of cocaine was discovered en route to the UK at Roberts International Airport on June 8, followed by a £230m seizure in Monrovia this week.
Senator issues SOS to UK government
Senator Amara Konneh, a former finance minister of Liberia, told Metro: 'This is an SOS call to the UK government not to overlook Liberia. By not helping Liberia, the UK is in danger of becoming a destination for cocaine and other narcotics.'
The June 8 bust involved more than 200kg of cocaine hidden in six boxes falsely declared as Maggi seasoning cubes, destined for the UK via a Brussels Airways flight. Five people were charged, and prosecutors released the Dutch phone number of a UK-based suspect and his house address with a Birmingham postcode, according to the Guardian.
Second huge seizure sparks anger
As part of investigations into the June bust, officers discovered £230m worth of cocaine at a storage facility near Monrovia on Tuesday. It is not yet known if that cocaine was also destined for the UK. The finds triggered large protests in Monrovia last Friday, organised by the campaign group Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND).
Senator Konneh said Liberia was 'beginning to see an intrusion from drug lords and their enablers' that could 'disrupt the peaceful reconstruction path we are on.' He added: 'For this large quantity of cocaine to go through our country, repackaged for shipment, to Britain, was a serious intelligence and security failure.'
UK urged to help with detection
Konneh argued that the UK was not doing enough to help Liberia and could be counted as an 'enabler' of the problem. 'The UK has more sophisticated law enforcement to address drug trafficking than Liberia. We do not have any canine dogs and we do not have sophisticated scanners at the airport to detect contrabands and narcotics. The UK should redefine its relationship with Liberia to assist our security agencies with our capacity to address this issue,' he said.
He warned: 'People will try to use Liberia as a safe haven and a pass-through to get narcotics into the UK. Britain is in danger of becoming a destination for cocaine and other narcotics. It would be good in their interest to avoid that and create a presence here in the UK.'
Campaign group warns of emboldened networks
STAND chairman Mulbah K. Morlu told Metro that 'the UK's silence and inaction could embolden the drug trade' in Liberia. He added: 'The UK's slow response or apparent lack of resolve could unintentionally benefit these dangerous networks, which may begin to view Liberia as a convenient transit hub for narcotics operations.' He warned that drug trafficking networks would exploit any weaknesses to continue harming 'vulnerable neighbourhoods in the United Kingdom'.
The National Crime Agency, which declined to comment to Metro, does work across West Africa to tackle drug trafficking. The region is regarded by international law enforcement as a key transit route for cocaine from South America to Europe. According to the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime, at least 30% of cocaine destined for Europe now passes through West Africa.
Some optimism on UK cooperation
Senator Edwin Snowe expressed more optimism, noting that Liberia's police commissioner recently visited Britain. He said: 'We know the UK is very strong against drugs and the UK has its own sophistication. I have no doubt that the UK will do everything possible to work along Liberian authorities.'
Brussels Airlines said in a statement: 'Brussels Airlines is aware of an ongoing investigation in the Republic of Liberia. At this stage, neither Brussels Airlines nor any of its current or former employees are subjects of this investigation. Brussels Airlines operates in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and upholds the highest ethical standards. We will fully cooperate with the authorities should our assistance be required.'
