Former Liberian Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor was charged on Wednesday over her alleged involvement in an international drug trafficking ring.
The 63-year-old former official was arrested at Roberts International Airport near the capital, Monrovia, as she prepared to leave the country, according to the Ministry of Justice. Authorities subsequently transferred her to national police headquarters.
Ministry officials said Howard-Taylor faces formal charges of importing and selling illicit substances as part of an ongoing investigation into a criminal network with domestic and foreign operations. Three foreign nationals, including two Croatian citizens and one Ukrainian citizen, face identical charges and are being sought by law enforcement.
Political background and airport arrest
Howard-Taylor served as vice president of Liberia from 2018 until 2024, taking office alongside former president George Weah following his presidential election victory. She previously served as an influential member of the Liberian Senate from 2006 to 2018.
She is the former wife of Charles Taylor, the warlord who served as Liberian president from 1997 to 2003 before being convicted of war crimes. Liberia, a West African nation, has recently stepped up security operations targeting international narcotics routes.
Record narcotics seizures and crackdown
The charges against the former vice president come as the government highlights an intensified crackdown on drug trafficking following the largest narcotics seizure in the country's history. Authorities recently intercepted nearly four tonnes of cocaine, valued at an estimated $317 million (276 million euros), during an operation on a road leading to Roberts International Airport, about 30 kilometres from Monrovia.
That operation followed an earlier seizure on June 7, when officers intercepted 237.6 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated value of $19 million. The shipment was found hidden inside export cargo being transported to Roberts Airport.
In response to the major drug seizures, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai dismissed more than ten public officials at the end of July and ordered formal investigations into their conduct.
New anti-drug leadership
Following a meeting of security agencies dedicated to recent seizures, President Boakai appointed a new director to the Liberian Drug Enforcement Agency on August 10. Although the appointment awaits formal confirmation by the Senate, the official assumed duties immediately.
Liberian authorities are continuing their search for the three wanted foreign suspects as the investigation into the trafficking syndicate proceeds.
