By Augustine Octavius
Officers of Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) assigned at the Roberts International Airport in Harbel, Margibi County have arrested and detained two Liberian women for allegedly importing four kilograms of the narcotic drug, Heroin on board a Kenyan Airway from Tanzania.
The Officer in Charge at the LDEA, Nora Johnson, who is also the Human Resource Director, identified the two Liberian women as Cecelia Toby, 42 and Florence Washington, 39.
Addressing a press conference in Monrovia this week, Johnson put the value of the heroin containing in two black plastic bags at a little over 61 million Liberian Dollars.
According to the LDEA, the two suspects informed investigators that they were given the drug by one Paul Sirleaf, a Nigerian national residing in Tanzania promising to give US$1,500 each if they can bring the substance to Monrovia.
The two suspects are expected to be sent to the Magisterial Court in Unification Town in Margibi County for prosecution.
When the two women were paraded before the media, they broke down in tears claiming that they were tricked into trafficking Pakistan-made Heroin.
The heroin was contained in two black plastic bags and placed in suit cases and addressed to Monrovia with their names
Meanwhile, LDEA authorities are warning the general public against taking advantage of the absence of presidential appointees to import dangerous narcotic substances into the country.
Drug trafficking and abuse has gone on the rise in around Liberia in recent times.
Social workers in the country have repeatedly blamed the rampant use of drugs mainly by youths for the increase in crimes and other deviant social behaviours.