The government of Liberia and UNMIL over the weekend publicly destroyed 90 barrels of narcotic drugs valued at half a billion United States Dollars. French Navy patrolling international waters arrested the huge consignment of drugs and brought it to Liberia.

The 90 barrels of cocaine were seized in a ship, identified as "Blue Atlantic Monrovia," which was flying the Liberian flag. The ship was loaded with a consignment of what experts termed as 'first class pure cocaine.'

According to the navy crew, they arrested the ship 550-kilometers deep sea near Liberia's water and the head of the crew said the reason why the ship was brought to Liberia was because it was flying the Liberian flag.

He said this was in accordance with international Maritime law that such vessel be turned over to the country whose flag it is flying.

The captain said they spent close to three months tracing the ship after they were alerted that a ship was traveling with huge consignment of cocaine.

The French Ambassador in Monrovia told Liberian security officials that The Blue Atlantic was heading for the West African State of Nigeria.

He stated further that the ship had initially encountered mechanical difficulties at sea prior to its seizure and that several phone calls were made by the ship's crew but were never heeded to until late January when French Navy forces intercepted a communication through satellite phone.

According to the Captain of the French navy, a specially designed instrument was used to determine the ship's position. He said the Blue Atlantic had nine crewmembers that are all Ghanaians with the 90 barrels of cocaine on board. Each of the 90 barrels contained 18-19 parcels and each parcel is valued at 17,000 Euro.

Speaking shortly following the turning over ceremony, Justice Minister Philip A.Z. Banks said the ship might have been heading for Liberia, as a communication was received from the ship previously and wanted an emergency docking at the Liberian Port in early January but that was not done. Experts say the cocaine is about 2.4 tons and valued half a Billion United States Dollars.

Upon the arrival of the dangerous drug at the Free Port of Monrovia, the government of Liberia, in collaboration with UNMIL officials, took control of the drug from the French Navy following a brief signing ceremony.

Following hours of elongated debate on how sure the cocaine would be annihilated, officials from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advised that the drug be dumped into the ocean.

Prior to the EPA advise, security officials argued that the drug be burnt but EPA staff present at the Freeport vehemently resisted the suggestion.

Meanwhile latest report reaching this paper says the cocaine burnt at the Freeport of Monrovia following series of consultations by stakeholders does not augur well with the EPA and has therefore denounced the flagrant act, terming it 'non-environmental friendly.'