PHOTO: LDEA Commander Alex Tweh
By James Myking Suah
The newly assigned command of the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA) in Liberia’s southeastern Grand Kru County is leading intense efforts to fight against illicit substances across the county.
This robust drive is leading to the arrests of drug dealers and traffickers with support from local community dwellers.
The suspects arrested are Faith McGee, aged 28, Mamie Kerteh, and 54-year-old Obinna Opara, a Nigerian drug dealer, were arrested at separate locations and subsequently charged under Liberia’s Drug Law.
LDEA detachment headed by Alex Tweh over the weekend made massive arrests of traffickers and dealers within four Statutory Districts.
Other officer recently deployed within the county by the LDEA are the Commander, Deputy and the Chief of operations, after the first batch of commanders were recalled to Monrovia by their central administration for administrative reasons.
The three individuals were brought before the Barclayville Magisterial Court for prosecution, accused of engaging in the sale and distribution of narcotic substances.
Grand Kru County LDEA Commander, Alex Tweh emphasized that the recent arrests represent a significant step in the ongoing battle against drug trafficking and abuse, a major priority of President Joseph N. Boakai’s administration.
“Since my assignment in Grand Kru County, we have identified key areas that serve as major hubs for drug trafficking, namely, Buah, Chamgbettee, Wakpoh, and Bolloh Poe,” Commander Toweh told reporters in Barclayville. “We are determined to clean these communities and make Grand Kru a drug-free country
Commander Toweh disclosed that suspect Obinna Opara, a Nigerian national, was arrested by citizens in Emman Village, Fopoh Statutory District, with a huge consignment of “Cocaine” weighing 14.5 kilograms.
The substance has a street value of $568 USD, equivalent to 113,600 Liberian Dollars.
“Suspect Opara was charged under Sections 85 and 89 of the Drugs Law, which address distribution, sale, and possession with intent to distribute,” Toweh explained. “The two Liberian suspects, Mamie and Faith, were charged under Section 85 with illegal possession of narcotic substances.”
The LDEA Commander praised the collaboration between citizens and the law enforcement officers that led to the arrest of the suspects.