Customs Office at Roberts International Airport Burglarized Amid Ongoing Drug Smuggling Investigation

MONROVIA – With just two days after the suspension of Samuel Freeman, the Director of Security at Roberts International Airport, due to his alleged involvement in drug smuggling through an unauthorized gate, another troubling incident has occurred. This time, it involves a burglary at the Liberia Revenue Customs offices located at the airport.

The burglary has been confirmed by Danicius K. Sengbe, the Communications Manager at the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA). Sengbe said that there is no apparent connection to the recent drug bust. Mr. Sengbe stated, “I confirm that there was a burglary at the Liberia Revenue Authority’s Customs Office at the RIA. Our offices and examination hall were broken into, and the suspect, Joe Welh, has been arrested and handed over to the police. Welh is a staff member of Elite Facility, a janitorial company contracted by the LRA for cleaning services. It appears that Welh arrived at work early and entered the ceiling to steal goods from the examination hall. Currently, no missing items have been reported as the police continue their investigation,” Mr. Sengbe said.

However, the timing of this burglary is raising questions, as the public has been demanding the release of the airwaybill associated with the consignment containing drugs that entered the country via Kenya Airways.

An airwaybill, or AWB, is a document used to track goods shipped by international courier services. It serves as a receipt of goods by an airline and a contract of carriage between the shipper and the carrier.

It was reported on Sunday that Samuel Freeman and the consignment he was escorting in a bus were intercepted by soldiers of the Armed Forces of Liberia stationed at the airport. Initially, Freeman claimed that the boxes belonged to the President’s Chief of Protocol, Ms. Nora Finda Bondo. However, he later denied any connection between Ms. Bondo and the boxes when confronted by the Acting Managing Director of the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA), Mr. Martin Hayes.

FrontPage Africa quoted an aviation expert as saying that while obtaining a physical copy of the airwaybill could be important, it is unlikely that the burglary at the Customs office at the airport was related to this search. The expert pointed out that the airwaybill is maintained within the system of GLS NAS, the company responsible for ground handling at the Roberts International Airport, and cannot be removed without the involvement of its head office in France.

Initially believed to contain organic moringa tea, the confiscated consignment had been in the possession of the Customs Department of the Liberia Revenue Authority for nearly two weeks before being opened for inspection. Subsequent tests conducted on the herbal product by the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) using test kits provided by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) revealed that the packages contained methamphetamine or meth.

Methamphetamine, commonly known as Meth, is a synthetic stimulant with a high potential for addiction. It is sought after for its ability to induce euphoria and violent behavior, often described as a feeling of well-being, which can endure for up to 24 hours. Methamphetamine is readily accessible and affordable, particularly to adolescents, due to its relatively low production cost.

On Tuesday, the Minister of Justice, Cllr. Frank Musah Dean Jr., ordered the Joint Security of Liberia, including the LDEA, LNP, and the NSA, to expand their investigations into the importation of illegal drugs with the aim of bringing all those involved to justice.

In a statement at the Roberts International Airport, Mr. Samuel Freeman, the RIA Chief of Security, clarified that the boxes were confiscated and placed in the Customs’ warehouse since August 31. He expressed his concern over allegations that linked him to drug-related activities.

Meanwhile, President Weah has strongly refuted allegations made by opposition leaders regarding his government’s involvement in drug importation into Liberia. Opposition figures within Liberia have accused the CDC government of significantly contributing to the influx of drugs into the country, which they argue is causing harm to the younger generation of Liberians.

However, during a recent political rally held at Gbarnga, Bong County, at the David Kuyon Sports Stadium on September 13, President Weah dismissed these allegations. He asserted that the issue of drug abuse in Liberia has been a longstanding problem, one that dates back many years, and he emphasized that his government should not bear sole responsibility for it.

President Weah candidly shared that he personally encountered the drug issue in Liberia during his youth, even when he served as a Senator and now as the President of the country. He went on to point out that during the tenure of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and former Vice President Joseph Boakai, Liberia witnessed a significant influx of drugs.

President Weah highlighted his administration’s commitment to combating the drug problem in Liberia and emphasized the importance of recently enacted drug laws in the country as evidence of their dedication to this cause.