Published: June 17, 2026
CAPITOL HILL, Monrovia – Liberia’s government will withhold further details about a reported US$19.2 million drug seizure at Roberts International Airport, Justice Minister and Attorney General Cllr. Oswald Tweh Sr. told lawmakers Tuesday, even as conflicting accounts from senior officials deepened questions about the country’s largest reported drug bust in recent years.
“We will never give out any more information,” Tweh said, citing Liberia’s limited investigative capacity and the need to protect intelligence obtained through international cooperation. “Due to our own limited capacity, we have invited our partners and friends to help us exchange information, and it would set a bad precedent to expose some of the information we receive.”
The House of Representatives, unconvinced, directed the justice and security officials to reappear before plenary within 14 days, from Tuesday, June 16, to June 30, to provide a detailed briefing on the status of the investigation. The officials are also expected to brief House leadership on June 29.
Tweh appeared alongside officials from the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency, the Liberia Revenue Authority Customs Department and the Liberia Airport Authority. Their appearance followed a communication from Bong County District No. 6 Representative Moima Briggs-Mensah, who raised concerns over the circumstances surrounding the seizure and requested that the relevant authorities account for the investigation.
The minister’s testimony quickly exposed contradictions in the government’s own account.
“No one has been arrested,” Tweh told lawmakers. “There are only people of interest who have been invited for questioning and investigation.”
The statement appeared to contradict remarks by LDEA Officer-in-Charge Fitzgerald T.M. Biago, who reportedly told the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing last week that six individuals had been arrested in connection with the case. The inconsistency prompted several lawmakers to question whether the public was receiving accurate information about the seizure.
Responding to Montserrado County District No. 16 Representative Dixon Seboe, Tweh acknowledged that organized criminal networks may be operating in the country.
“We can assume that there is a drug cartel in Liberia,” he said.
The admission marked one of the strongest acknowledgments by a senior government official that transnational drug syndicates could have established operations in Liberia. Tweh nonetheless assured lawmakers that those responsible would be held accountable.
“We can assure members of the House that anyone who is involved will be investigated and prosecuted,” he said.
The hearing took a dramatic turn when House Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon called for lawmakers to move into executive session during the minister’s presentation. The move drew open disagreement, particularly from Briggs-Mensah and Montserrado County District No. 9 Representative Frank Saah Foko, who argued that a matter of such national importance should be debated publicly.
“The US$19.2 million drug bust is not something that should be discussed in executive session,” Briggs-Mensah reportedly said. “The people of Liberia need to know what is unfolding regarding these drugs.”
The House proceeded with the closed-door session over their objections.
Another tense moment came when Margibi County District No. 3 Representative Ellen A. Attoh-Wreh sought answers about Emmanuel Zion, who is reportedly linked to transporting the cargo to the airport.
“Honorable Justice Minister, is Emmanuel Zion still alive or dead?” she asked.
“We don’t know whether Emmanuel Zion is dead or alive,” Tweh replied, in a response that drew audible reactions in the chamber and underscored the unanswered questions surrounding the case.
Other officials appearing before plenary included Biago; LRA Customs official Saah Saamoai; and Liberia Airport Authority Deputy Managing Director John Zubah Buway. As deliberations closed, Sinoe County District No. 1 Representative Prof. Romeo Quioh proposed that the officials return once investigators had made further progress.
For now, the reported US$19.2 million seizure continues to generate more questions than answers. Conflicting statements from officials, uncertainty over key figures linked to the case and the government’s insistence on secrecy have intensified public calls for transparency. Whether the administration’s guarded approach protects a sensitive international investigation or further fuels public skepticism remains to be seen as lawmakers await the officials’ return.
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