By: D. Abraham Cooper, Sr. | Grand Gedeh Correspondent
Zwedru City, Liberia |March 15, 2026|In a significant blow to local drug trafficking, the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) arrested a 41-year-old Nigerian national during a high-stakes raid in Grand Gedeh County on Thursday.
The operation, which took place at approximately 12:00 PM on March 12, targeted a residence in the Cryville Community. Led by Senior Agent Roland Warjoloh Chelleh, the Grand Gedeh County Detachment executed what officials described as a “high-persuasion” tactical maneuver to secure the suspect and the illicit materials.
Seizure of Narcotics and Counterfeit Currency
The suspect, identified as Chijioke Ngwu, was taken into custody after agents discovered a substantial cache of narcotics and a large sum of fraudulent local currency. The inventory of seized substances includes:
Cocaine: 29 grams of raw cocaine and 76.1 grams of mixed cocaine, with a combined estimated street value of $7,034.40 USD ($1,133,653.60 LRD).
Marijuana: 494 grams of “Lawo” (cannabis), valued at approximately $1,580.00 USD ($300,200.00 LRD).
In addition to the narcotics, LDEA agents recovered $1,193,000.00 in counterfeit Liberian Dollars, suggesting a potential link between the suspect and broader financial crimes within the region.
Investigation and Legal Proceedings
Ngwu is currently being held at the LDEA’s regional headquarters in Grand Gedeh. Authorities confirmed that he is undergoing intensive interrogation as investigators work to trace the origin of the drugs and the counterfeit bills.
”This operation underscores our commitment to purging our communities of dangerous substances and illicit financial activities,” a spokesperson for the detachment noted.
The suspect remains in custody pending a formal indictment and subsequent court trial.
