Monrovia – The Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation (BCR) has confiscated over L$2 million worth of narcotics from inmates at the Monrovia Central Prison in Monrovia.
The drugs were confiscated from inmates during the BCR’s vigorous search and lockdown exercise at the various prison facilities in the country.
The drugs arrested include cocaine (20.4 gram), heroin (243.7 gram), marijuana, among others.
Speaking at a news conference at the Ministry of Justice in Monrovia, the Assistant Minister of BCR, Eddie Trawali said prison facilities in the country have been designated and used by drugs cartels and operators as a hub where they stored their drugs for commercial purposes.
“Few months ago, the BCR was involved in a vigorous lockdown and search in all of our prison systems in Liberia, and we were able to confiscate over L$2 million worth of drugs from our prison (Monrovia Central Prison).”
Minister Trawali said the BCR has officially informed the U.S. Government about the clandestine and illegal operations that are proceeding in the prison systems in the country.
“The bureau was able to discover the motives, aim and objectives, and we were able to confiscate their drugs. We have officially informed the U.S. Government about the clandestine and illegal operations that were proceeding in the prison system,” he said.
Minister Trawali further stated that there are some correction officers and inmates who are involved in the trafficking of drugs at the prison facilities.
“We have noticed and identified that there are few elements within our system who are involved in huge drugs trafficking and operations, ranging from officers to inmates within the 16 prison facilities,” he noted.
Minister Trawali assured the public that the prison facilities in the country will not be used as an epicenter for drugs trafficking or drugs transaction.
“We will make sure that every drug be confiscated, those culpable will be brought to justice. Elements within the prison systems, inmates, will be reprimanded in the process.”
Trawali further mentioned: “We will take them to court and we will ensure that if you are convicted, we will make sure that the court extends your sentenced standing. We have that authority.”
However, Minister Trawali said the BCR has launched a manhunt for one of its officers identified as George Taylor who was caught allegedly distributing 21 tubes of cocaine at the central prison.
“Any officer that will be caught in any illegal practices and illegal operations within our systems, we will not ceased not to allow you run your operation(s) but to dismiss you and process you to court,” he said.
Also, Minister Trawali described the recent destruction of the Maryland County’s prison compound as unorthodox, unscrupulous and diabolical.
“Under no circumstances, manner and faction in which to prison must be used as a system or area where element(s) who fall short of the legal apparatus of our country be kept and be attacked by citizens,” Trawali added.
He assured the public that the prison facility will be reconstructed in subsequent time.
Receiving the drugs, the Director of the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA), Marcus Zehyoue said the current drugs law is impeding the fight of the LDEA against users and traffickers.
“We can assure you that in the shortest possible time, we will have a robust drugs law to ensure that we succeed because we notice that the traffickers take advantage of the drugs law, the weakness of the drugs law, and the poorer borders.”
Zehyoue:” Once we have a robust drugs law, the traffickers will be prosecuted, and given maximum sentences. So, we want to amend some provisions within the drugs law because the current drugs law is bailable, but we want the law to be nonbailable. The existing drugs law is impeding our work because it is bailable.”
