MONROVIA – The newly appointed Deputy Director for Administration at the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA), Mr. Dave Phildesco Jackley, says he is aware that there are agents within the Agency who use and sell drugs; he says, he is prepared to weed them out.
Mr. Jackley announced a random drug testing on all of his agents to ensure that those fight drugs themselves are clean of the act.
“Who told you I don’t know that some of you are drug users, but what I am about to say you will not like it, you will not like it because I will start doing a random drug testing of officers at the DEA. If you are enforcing the drug laws you need to be sober and clean of drugs,” he said.
He stated that officers of the DEA deserve respect from the public. “Only members of the LDEA can make the public respect them by the action of officers exhibited in the sight of the people they serve,” he said.
Speaking at program marking the official taking over ceremony at the offices of the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency in Fiamah Jackley said, it is unfair for drug dealers to be acquiring more cash than they can count while honest people are working hard and saving their money.
He said in too many business sectors honest companies are suffering unfair competition. “Because if your rivals are laundering criminal cash there’s no way you can hope to compete with them; these are all examples of how the drug economy undermines the legitimate economy and disrupts our society,” he noted.
The new Deputy DEA boss disclosed that entity will be deploying a comprehensive strategy to disrupt and dismantle drug-related criminal activities in the country.
“We will track offenders via criminal law, administrative law and tax measures, and within these areas a whole range of partners are working in concert. Let me sum up, local government, the public prosecution service, the police, the tax and customs administration, the fiscal information and investigation service, the social affairs and employment inspectorate, and the military and border,” he disclosed.
He, meanwhile, warned officers of the DEA to desist from clandestine activities with drugs dealers outside the DEA’s office.
Also speaking, the Head of the National Bureau of Concession (NBC), Mr. Edwin Dennis described the fight of drugs as a serious matter that needs attention from the entire populace.
He stressed his commitment to support and work with the LDEA to fight drugs in Liberia. He, however, disclosed that there are issues of drugs in some concessions areas in Liberia.
He noted that only the LDEA has the legitimate right to chase suspected drugs users when it is noticed in concession areas.
“We noticed that there are some reports of drugs activities in some concession areas and only can fight that, company like Fire Stone and gold mines have reported some drug cases and these reports are available,” he disclosed.
Speaking earlier, the Assistant Director for Cyber Crime at the National Security Agency (NSA), Joseph Jake Brown, suggested that the LDEA invest in digitalization programs in tracking drug users and dealers.
He said drugs dealers are now using the cyber space in their transaction. He called on the LDEA to invest in the purchase of computers. He wants the authorities of the LDEA to create a Cyber Unit at the LDEA that will be trained in tracking and fighting drug dealers.
“Invest in the purchase of computers and establish a Cyber Unit here to enable the NSA to help you fight drug dealers,” he said.