LIBERIAN YOUTH STAND WITH THE STATE AGAINST DRUG CARTELS

Liberia is facing a moment that demands more than another news cycle, another public debate, or another expression of concern. The country is confronting a drug trafficking threat of a scale that should concern every Liberian, regardless of political affiliation, county, social status, or personal interest.

The recent seizure of nearly four tons of cocaine in Duazon, Margibi County, reportedly valued at approximately US$317 million, followed by the interception of another US$19.2 million shipment at Roberts International Airport, has brought into sharp focus the scale of the networks seeking to use Liberia as a hub for the movement of illicit drugs.

For the Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY), this is not simply a law-enforcement matter. It is a national issue with profound implications for Liberia’s future. FLY therefore expresses its full support for the Ministry of Justice and the Government of Liberia as they take increasingly aggressive steps to confront drug trafficking and dismantle the networks behind it.

This response deserves the support of every well-meaning Liberian.

The magnitude of these seizures should force us to look beyond the drugs themselves. Nearly four tons of cocaine do not move across borders, through ports and airports, and into communities without an organized network behind them. There are people who finance these operations. There are people who facilitate them. There are people who provide logistics, connections, information, and, potentially, protection.

That is what makes this moment so important.

Liberia must not become a safe operating environment for international drug cartels. Once criminal networks become deeply established, they can do far more than move drugs. They can corrupt institutions, distort legitimate businesses, exploit vulnerable communities, finance other criminal activities, and weaken public confidence in the State.

For young Liberians, the threat is particularly serious.

The country is already witnessing the devastating consequences of kush and other dangerous substances. Families are struggling with addiction. Communities are dealing with violence and social disruption. Young people, who represent the overwhelming majority of Liberia’s population, are increasingly exposed to substances that can destroy their health, education, livelihoods, relationships, and future prospects.

This is why the fight against drug trafficking cannot be left to the Government alone.

For years, Liberians have called for stronger action against the narcotics trade. Now that the Government is taking a more aggressive approach, the country must not allow political disagreements, suspicion, or cynicism to weaken the response. The Ministry of Justice and the other institutions involved in this effort need the support of the public as they confront networks that may possess significant resources and influence.

Supporting the State in this fight does not mean giving government a blank cheque. It means recognizing that the State must have the backing of its citizens when it takes action to protect the country from a threat of this magnitude.

At the same time, public support must be accompanied by a demand for results.

Liberia has been here before. The approximately US$100 million cocaine seizure at the Freeport of Monrovia in 2022 generated enormous public attention and demonstrated that major international drug trafficking operations could reach Liberia. But seizures alone cannot be the measure of success.

This time, the investigation must go deeper.

The people transporting drugs are important, but they are not necessarily the people who build and finance trafficking networks. Liberia must pursue the individuals who finance these operations, those who organize them, those who facilitate them, and anyone who uses influence or public office to protect them.

If the evidence leads to powerful businesspeople, political actors, public officials, or other influential individuals, the investigation must follow the evidence without fear or favour.

That is how Liberia will demonstrate that this is not simply another drug seizure. It is a genuine effort to dismantle the networks behind the trade.

The fight must also remain above politics.

Drug cartels do not care which political party a Liberian supports. Drugs do not stop at county borders. Addiction does not distinguish between rich and poor. The consequences ultimately fall on Liberian families and communities. Our response, therefore, must be bigger than our political differences.

FLY calls on political leaders, civil society, traditional and religious leaders, the media, communities, parents, and young people across all 15 counties to support the Government’s legitimate efforts to confront drug trafficking. The country must send a clear message that Liberia will not provide shelter, protection, or opportunity for criminal networks seeking to exploit its people and institutions.

We particularly encourage young Liberians to see this fight as their own. The future that is being protected is ours. The communities at risk are ours. The generation most vulnerable to the consequences of the narcotics crisis is ours.

Liberia has overcome crises before because, at critical moments, Liberians have understood that some challenges are bigger than politics.

The Federation of Liberian Youth stands with the Ministry of Justice and the Government of Liberia in this fight. We encourage the authorities to remain courageous, professional, transparent, and uncompromising in following the evidence wherever it leads.

We also encourage every Liberian to stand with the institutions working in good faith to protect the country. Because this is not simply a fight against cocaine.

It is a fight against the criminal networks seeking to make Liberia part of their global operations. It is a fight to protect our communities. It is a fight to protect our young people. And ultimately, it is a fight to protect the future of the Liberian state.