Published: October 30, 2026
PAYNESVILLE, Liberia — Residents of the United Omega Community in Paynesville are praising the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) for restoring relative calm to an area once plagued by drug trafficking, criminal activities and widespread harassment, following the deployment of a specialized anti-drug squad earlier this year.
For nearly five years, the community, located behind the Omega Market in Paynesville, had become a haven for drug dealers and users, with several ghettos operating in the area despite the presence of an LDEA sub-office nearby.
Residents say persistent theft, intimidation and harassment created an atmosphere of fear, forcing families indoors as early as 7 p.m. and compelling business owners to close their establishments before nightfall.
However, the situation reportedly began improving in mid-2026 following the deployment of the LDEA’s Special Drugs Squad (SDS), Base One, which conducted raids, arrested suspected drug dealers and users, dismantled ghettos and established a permanent presence in the community.
Residents say the intervention has significantly reduced criminal activities and restored a sense of security, allowing people to move freely and businesses to operate beyond their previous closing hours.
Mercy T. Johnson, a longtime resident, described the transformation as a major relief for families who previously lived in constant fear.
According to Johnson, residents can now walk through the community at night without experiencing the level of harassment and intimidation that characterized the area three to five years ago.
“I want to tell the Liberian President thank you for the LDEA here, they are doing well, let them continue,” she said.
Arthur K.G. Yasiah, acting chairman of Block D in the United Omega Community, similarly credited the LDEA’s intervention with improving security and restoring peace.
Yasiah recalled that drug dealers and users previously occupied several locations in the community, creating conditions that threatened the safety of residents and visitors.
He recounted a particularly disturbing incident in which three bodies of suspected drug users were discovered in the community on the same morning, including one inside an unfinished building and two near a junction.
“It was so challenging. In this community, you used to see drugs dealers. They had base behind here where people used to sell their drugs. If you used to see the guys gather, it was just like food sharing in displaced camp,” he stated.
The community leader said residents and local authorities had previously engaged LDEA officials over the growing drug problem, but the establishment of the specialized squad’s base brought a more sustained security presence.
He said the improvement has been so significant that residents can now leave certain household items outside without the constant fear of theft.
“Today, I can tell you, sometimes we even leave our bucket outside. We couldn’t even leave it outside before. The whole place was in fear that people can bust your door,” he said.
Despite the progress, Yasiah appealed to the LDEA to maintain its presence, warning that some suspected drug users still occasionally appear in the community.
He expressed concern that withdrawing the officers could reverse the security gains and expose residents to renewed criminal activities.
Providing details about the operation, LDEA Special Agent Achie M. Wondee, assigned to SDS Base One, said the intervention resulted from collaboration between the agency and community residents.
Wondee disclosed that the operation was also prompted by a communication from the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), which reportedly alerted the LDEA that one of its properties in the community was being used for illegal drug transactions.
According to the agent, the location now occupied by the squad previously served as a major gathering point for suspected drug dealers and users.
“It wasn’t easy when we came here. This place we are using was a complete ghetto but at least, we are now in a comfortable position,” Agent Wondee said.
He confirmed that several suspected drug dealers and users were arrested during the operations and forwarded to court for prosecution.
Wondee credited cooperation from residents with helping the agency establish its presence and disrupt drug-related activities in the area.
Beyond the reported security improvements, local business owners say the operation has allowed them to extend their operating hours and recover from years of disruption.
A drinks seller, who previously closed her business around 6 p.m. because of harassment and security concerns, said she now operates late into the night.
“I can now close by 10 to 11 p.m., before, I never tried it,” she said.
Residents also report that market structures previously occupied by drug users are now largely deserted, while areas once considered unsafe have become more accessible to families and children.
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