Published: June 24, 2026
CAPITOL HILL, Monrovia – Two senators on Tuesday urged the Liberian Senate to formally advise the Executive Branch to suspend the cargo handling concession held by GLS Menzies at Roberts International Airport, arguing the company’s integrity is in question while investigators probe the seizure of roughly 237.6 kilograms of cocaine valued at US$19.2 million.
Montserrado County Senators Abraham Darius Dillon and Saah H. Joseph made the call in a joint communication read during the Senate’s regular session by Senate Secretary Nanborlor Singbeh. It came days after Justice Minister and Attorney General Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh named GLS Menzies General Manager Paul J. King and Security Manager Philip Yeoh among 10 persons of interest identified by the Joint National Security Investigative Task Force probing the June 8 seizure.
“We write jointly to recommend that the Senate formally advise the Executive to suspend, pending investigation, the cargo-handling concession held by GLS (GLS Menzies) at Roberts International Airport,” the communication stated.
The cocaine was intercepted inside a GLS Menzies warehouse at the airport, triggering widespread public concern and demands for a transparent investigation into what authorities have described as a major transnational drug trafficking operation.
Speaking for the two senators, Joseph argued the government must act swiftly to safeguard Liberia’s international reputation and public confidence in the probe. He called not only for suspending the concession but also for a review of operations involving companies doing business through the concessionaire pending the outcome.
The drug seizure has already damaged Liberia’s image abroad and raised concerns among international aviation stakeholders, the lawmakers contended. Liberian travelers are reportedly facing heightened scrutiny at foreign airports, including additional luggage inspections, Joseph said, while some international airlines operating in Liberia have raised concerns about the implications.
“When the leadership of a concessionaire entrusted with safeguarding our national cargo channels is itself under investigation, prudence demands that its operations be suspended until the matter is resolved — to preserve the integrity of the evidence, protect Liberia’s standing as an aviation and trade partner, and assure the public that no entity stands above scrutiny,” the senators stated.
“This is a precautionary measure, not a presumption of guilt, and the concession may be restored should GLS and its officers be cleared.”
At a recent emergency press conference in Monrovia, Tweh announced the 10 persons of interest while stressing that the designation does not imply guilt.
“The Government of Liberia wishes to make it unequivocally clear that the designation of an individual as a Person of Interest does not constitute a determination of guilt,” Tweh said. “Rather, it signifies that investigators have identified information and evidence requiring further examination.”
Those identified through witness statements, cargo documentation, operational records and preliminary findings include Yeoh; Festus S. Musa, a cargo handler at GLS Menzies; Ruth Gbapaywhea, an RIA scanner agent; Archie Nyanfor, a cargo handler at Express Handling Services; Arthur B. Abdullai, chief executive officer of Express Handling Services; Geraldine Zeon, an RIA scanner agent; and Mohammed Gbowrah, security director at RIA. Authorities are also seeking three others: King, listed by the minister as chief executive officer of GLS Menzies; Oscar Browne, chief of intelligence for RIA Security; and Emmanuel T. Zeon, a transporter for Express Handling Services.
Tweh declined to identify the alleged importers or principal actors behind the shipment, a decision that has fueled public speculation over who orchestrated the operation.
Following the communication, Senate Plenary voted to forward the matter to the Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights, Claims and Petitions, and National Defense, Security, Intelligence and Veteran Affairs for review. The decision followed a motion by Grand Kru County Senator Albert T. Chie, the immediate former President Pro Tempore. The committees were tasked with examining the proposal and advising Plenary on the appropriate course of action.
The recommendations are expected to shape the Senate’s next steps as pressure mounts for accountability in one of Liberia’s largest drug seizure investigations in recent years.
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