Former Liberian vice-president charged in drug-trafficking probe

What the report says

Liberia has charged former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor in a widening drug-trafficking and money-laundering case, according to the country’s Justice Ministry, BBC World News reported. Howard-Taylor, who served as vice president from 2018 to 2024, was detained at Roberts International Airport in Monrovia before she could leave the country and was taken to national police headquarters. She has not yet commented publicly on the allegations.

The charges include illegally importing, selling and transporting controlled drugs, along with helping facilitate drug trafficking. Police have also filed charges in absentia against three foreign nationals — two Croatians and one Ukrainian — whom investigators say are linked to the same network. Liberian authorities say they are pursuing organisers, facilitators and financiers as part of a broader investigation.

The case comes amid a larger anti-narcotics crackdown in Liberia, where officials have stepped up seizures and enforcement in recent months. More broadly, West Africa has become an important transit route for cocaine shipments moving from South America toward Europe, a trend that has increased pressure on regional governments to act. Howard-Taylor previously held a senior role in President George Weah’s administration, which faced corruption allegations, while President Joseph Boakai has promised to tackle corruption and prevent Liberia from becoming a haven for drug trafficking.