LDEA Nets Two Women, Seizes 60 Plates of Marijuana in River Gee Operation

GBEAPO KANWEAKEN CITY, River Gee: Officers of the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA) in River Gee County have arrested two women in connection with alleged drug trafficking following the seizure of sixty compressed plates of marijuana during a security operation in Gbeapo Kanweaken City.

River Gee County LDEA Commander Bill Cooper confirmed the arrests to journalists Wednesday, saying the operation was carried out after intelligence gathered from community sources indicated suspected drug activities in the area.

According to Commander Cooper, the principal suspect, Asha Bangoria, 41, a Sierra Leonean national, was apprehended during what authorities described as a plain-view operation conducted by officers of the county detachment.

During the arrest, LDEA officers reportedly discovered sixty compressed plates of marijuana concealed in two large cartons, which investigators believe were prepared for distribution within River Gee County and possibly neighboring areas.

Authorities estimate the street value of the seized drugs at approximately US$6,000, equivalent to about LRD$1,080,000, making the confiscation one of the notable drug interceptions recently recorded in the county.

Also arrested in connection with the case is Mamie David, a 50-year-old Liberian national. Investigators believe she acted as an accomplice in the suspected trafficking operation.

Commander Cooper disclosed that the principal suspect had been under surveillance for several months following repeated reports from community members linking her to suspected drug distribution activities in parts of the county.

“We had been monitoring her movements for some time based on information received from community residents,” Cooper said. “The arrest was made possible through the cooperation between our officers and the local community.”

The River Gee County LDEA Detachment says both suspects are currently undergoing further investigation. Authorities indicated that upon completion of the investigative process, the suspects will be formally charged and forwarded to court in keeping with Liberia’s drug control laws.

Meanwhile, several residents of River Gee County have welcomed the arrests, describing the operation as a major step in addressing the growing concern over illegal drugs in the area.

Community members said the presence of illicit substances has increasingly affected young people and praised the LDEA for what they called swift and decisive action in disrupting suspected drug trafficking activities in Gbeapo Kanweaken City.

Commander Cooper reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to combating illegal drug activities across the county and warned that individuals engaged in trafficking or distribution will face the full force of the law.

He also called on citizens to continue providing credible information to help authorities track and dismantle drug networks operating within the county.

“The fight against drugs cannot be carried out by law enforcement alone,” Cooper said. “We depend on the cooperation of our communities to protect the future of our young people and ensure the safety of our society.”