By Vaye A. Lepolu
Monrovia: Liberia’s ongoing battle against narcotics, the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) has arrested a suspected drug dealer and seized a substantial quantity of marijuana valued at over USD 295,000.
The operation, conducted on April 19, 2025, in the Ruth Perry Community near the Police Academy in Paynesville, was initiated following credible intelligence. LDEA agents executed a controlled “buy and bust” operation, during which they purchased LD$1,000 worth of suspected narcotics. Subsequently, 35-year-old Dominic Morlue, a Liberian national residing in Bassa Town Community, Paynesville, was apprehended.
A consensual search of Morlue’s premises led to the discovery of a significant cache of marijuana, including 100 compressed plates (locally known as “Lawo”), 13 uncompressed units, and 454 processed compressed parcels. The total street value of the confiscated drugs is estimated at LRD 56,050,000 (approximately USD $295,000).
Preliminary investigations suggest that this case may be linked to a broader transnational drug trafficking network, indicating the possible involvement of an organized criminal syndicate operating both within and beyond Liberia’s borders.
Morlue is currently in LDEA custody at the agency’s headquarters, and formal charges are anticipated in the coming days.
This arrest aligns with President Joseph Boakai’s recent declaration of drug abuse as a national public health emergency, emphasizing the government’s commitment to combating the proliferation of narcotics in Liberia.
The LDEA continues to intensify its efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks and safeguard communities across the nation.
