Monrovia – The Office of the Honorary Consulate General of Colombia in Liberia says it has no record of the man identified as a Colombian national who was arrested in connection with Liberia’s record US$317.69 million cocaine seizure, insisting it has never interacted with him and cannot verify his identity or nationality.
By Obediah Johnson
The clarification comes a day after a Joint Security Task Force, established by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and led by the National Security Agency (NSA), raided a suspected drug stash house in the VOA Community, Paynesville, where authorities seized 3,971 kilograms of cocaine valued at US$317,690,000. The operation also led to the arrest of two foreign nationals—a man believed to be Colombian and another identified as Serbian.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday at the Colombian Consulate on Bushrod Island, the Consulate’s Administrator, Abenigo Balesh Pokor, said the diplomatic mission has no information on the alleged Colombian suspect and cannot account for his activities in Liberia.
“We don’t even know this individual who was arrested, and he is not in our database. We do not have any record on him,” Pokor said.
He emphasized that the Consulate has never had any contact with the suspect and does not know when he entered Liberia or whether the passport he reportedly carried is authentic.
Calls for Passport Verification
Pokor urged Liberian authorities to investigate the legitimacy of the passport allegedly found in the suspect’s possession, particularly amid reports that the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) has been unable to provide records of his entry into the country.
He stressed that the Consulate distances itself from the actions of any individual who may possess a Colombian passport but entered Liberia without registering with the diplomatic mission.
“Let me clearly distance the Consulate from the individual’s actions. We regret situations of this kind and distance ourselves from persons who bear Colombian passports and enter Liberia without our knowledge or being captured in our database.”
According to Pokor, Colombians traveling legally to Liberia are encouraged to register with the Consulate so that the mission can provide assistance when necessary. Those who enter the country illegally or become involved in criminal activities, he said, should face the full force of the law.
He added that diplomatic protocol encourages citizens living abroad to maintain contact with their country’s embassy or consulate to facilitate assistance during emergencies.
“Even if you come through Roberts International Airport and you don’t come to us, we have no record on you.”
Government of Colombia Yet to Be Informed
Pokor said the Consulate has not notified the Colombian government about the arrest because it lacks sufficient information to identify the suspect.
“How can we inform the Government of Colombia when we don’t know who this person is?” he asked. “It is even possible that he carries a Colombian passport but is not a Colombian national.”
He maintained that if investigators establish the suspect’s involvement in the cocaine trafficking operation, he should be prosecuted in accordance with Liberian law.
Rejects Claims Linking Consulate to Drug Trafficking
The Consulate also dismissed allegations circulating on social media that it or Cheaitou Brothers Incorporated, a cold-storage company owned by Honorary Consul General Houssein Cheaitou, has any connection to cocaine trafficking.
Pokor described the allegations as baseless, noting that Cheaitou Brothers has operated in Liberia since 1991 as a wholesaler of frozen meat and fish.
He challenged anyone with evidence linking the company to drug trafficking to submit it to law enforcement authorities rather than circulate unsubstantiated claims.
Strengthening Monitoring of Colombian Nationals
Pokor disclosed that the Consulate currently has records for approximately 20 Colombian citizens residing in Liberia.
He said discussions have already been held with Liberia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Liberia Immigration Service to improve information-sharing on the arrival and departure of Colombian nationals.
According to him, the enhanced cooperation is intended to strengthen monitoring and help prevent international drug cartels from exploiting gaps in immigration oversight.
While encouraging Colombians to visit Liberia to experience its peace and hospitality, Pokor warned that anyone contemplating criminal activities should expect to face prosecution under Liberian law.
