Liberia: Liberia Joins Others in Combating Smuggling, Transnational Crimes

What the report says

Liberia is hosting the 17th Joint Annual Meeting of National Contact Points of the World Customs Organization’s Regional Intelligence Liaison Offices, a weeklong gathering focused on smuggling and other transnational crimes. According to The New Republic Liberia, the event is being held at the Farmington Hotel in Margibi County and is organized by the Liberia Revenue Authority through its Customs Department. Officials from more than 40 customs and intelligence personnel representing 17 countries across West and Central Africa are taking part.

The meeting is intended to improve intelligence sharing, regional coordination and joint enforcement against illicit trade. Opening speakers said customs agencies need faster, more practical cooperation to identify trafficking routes, dismantle criminal networks and respond to evolving threats. Liberia’s customs commissioner, Saa Saamoi, said border agencies face pressure from cargo misdescription, undervaluation, document fraud and the diversion of transit goods, while still needing to keep legitimate trade moving.

Representatives from the World Customs Organization also urged members to adopt more proactive, intelligence-led methods and to make wider use of digital tools for analysis and communication. The report says participants are reviewing earlier recommendations and examining ways to improve data quality, operational coordination and the use of customs intelligence platforms. The meeting is significant because it places Liberia at the center of a regional effort to counter crimes that cross national borders and often require shared intelligence to address effectively.