By all accounts, reasons provided by the Government of Liberia in granting business privileges to TRH Trading Corporation in whose warehouse cocaine valued US$100 million was recently busted at Topoe Village along Japan Freeway is difficult to digest.
The government, thru the Liberia Revenue Authority, had publicly defended here that disparity in inspecting contents of containers brought at the Freeport of Monrovia that allowed a 40ft container imported by TRH Trading Corporation loaded with cocaine to leave the port without any check is part of Post Clearance Audit, a universal trade facilitation tool in customs that allows relatively compliant importers access to expeditious clearance subject to review subsequently.
However, that container was busted by Liberian security forces following a tipoff from the Embassy of the United States near Monrovia after it had landed at TRH Trading Corporation's warehouse in Topoe Village.
Liberians may never get to know how many containers brought into the country with contrabands have passed unchecked at the Freeport of Monrovia to their concealed or unknown destinations at the detriment of the State.
While investigation into the final destination of the cocaine is still ongoing with several arrests already made by government, it is possible that Liberia could be one of the markets for the contraband, given the current inflow of dangerous drugs into communities across the country.
Thanks to the United States Government for closely working with Liberian authorities in destroying the consignment of cocaine recently at the BTC Military Barracks in Monrovia.
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But the Government of Liberia seems to be flip-flopping, as it has moved immediately to clear TRH Trading Corporation of any link to the drug syndicate even before the matter can go to court, though the bust occurred in its premises.
Keen observers, including customs brokers here, argue there is no way that TRH can prove its innocence when it is the direct recipient of the 40ft container that brought the drugs to Liberia and taken to its premises in Topoe Village.
The fact that warning by Global Maritime Tracking Solution that tracks shipments across the world that the container with the cocaine be subjected to physical inspection was ignored, says a lot about the depth of complacency authorities in the country display.
Now we can safely say that had it not been the tipoff from the Americans, the consignment of cocaine would have never seen daylight in Liberia because, from every calculation, it was well conceived and accorded unhindered access into the country.
