Monrovia -The Grand Jury for Montserrado County has indicted and forwarded to Criminal Court “C” several Nigerian drug smugglers who were arrested early this year by officers of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA).
Defendants, George Obi, alias “Original Japan”, Peter Mamah, Edwin Ozioko, Ndubuisi Okornkwo Sunday Udeh, Igwe David, Shelly Shelton, China Ekwa, Edwin Ozioko and Bridgestone Harris allegedly committed the crimes of unlicensed possession of controlled drugs or
substance, unlicensed possession, sale and distribution of controlled substance, unlawful maintenance and distribution of controlled drug or substance, a felony
of the first degree.
According to the indictment, on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, at about 2:30 Pm, the defendants were arrested by special team of LDEA via- a search and seizures warrant, investigated and subsequently charged with the commission of the crimes of unlicensed sale, possession, trading, trafficking, administration, dispensation, delivery, dispatch in transit and transportation of controlled drugs or Substance and criminal conspiracy respectively.
The indictment further stated that the defendants being in the know of the harmfulness of these drugs to the growth and development of Liberian society, especially among the youth, they joined in accord, with criminal minds and intent to pollute Liberia’s youthful population, began to purposely, knowingly, willfully and intentionally, transport, distribute, sell these drugs at the detriment of Liberian society.
The total value drugs caught with the Nigerian drug traffickers during the commission of the crimes is placed at US$31,625.00 or its equivalence of LD$6,077,370.00 (Six Million seven hundred seven thousand three hundred seventy Liberian dollars.
“There and then the crimes of Unlicensed Sale, Possession, Trafficking and Distribution of Controlled Substance or Drug, you Defendants did do and
commit against the peace and dignity of Republic of Liberia,” the indictment stated
“A person commits an offense if he/she sells or offers for sale, or trades,
or administers, or dispenses, or deliver or gives away to another, or distributes, or dispatches in transit, or transports any controlled drug and substance, listed in schedules I,II,III and IV or acts as a broker in any such transactions without a license from the Minister, and no consignment of such drugs or controlled substances while in transit being stored in a bonded warehouse shall be subject to any process which would change the nature of the drug in question.”
KakaOfficers of the Margibi County Detachment of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) have arrested a woman drug peddler in possession of cocaine, heroin and Kush in Kakata, Margibi County.
The suspect, 20-year-old woman identified as Promise Mately, was on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, apprehended at her Lango Town Community residence in possession of the controlled drugs.
According to the newly-assigned Margibi County LDEA’s commander, Alexander Flomo, the raid conducted by his team of drug enforcement officers uncovered a staggering amount of heroin, cocaine and Kush in Mately’s possession.
Among the confiscated items were 72 wraps of cocaine, 14 wraps of heroin, and 139 wraps of the synthetic drug called Kush.
The Margibi County LDEA’s boss placed the street value of the arrested drugs at US$277 or the equivalent of LD$52,630 Liberian Dollars. The LDEA boss said the volume of illicit drugs seized underscores the severity of the drug situation and highlights the extensive work needed to be done by his team in tackling the drug menace in the county.
He, at the same time, disclosed that suspect Mately is being investigated and will be duly charged and forwarded to court for prosecution, adding that the arrest of suspect Mately signifies a significant milestone in the ongoing battle against drug trafficking in Kakata City and beyond.
He, however, reaffirmed his commitment to tackling the scourge of illicit drugs and underscored the importance of collective efforts from the people of Margibi County to get rid of drugs, especially among the young people of the county.