Monrovia — The Liberia Drugs Enforcement Authority (LDEA) which plays a crucial role to remedy the influx of narcotics is calling on government and developmental partners to allot funds that would effectively enforce laws pertaining to controlled drugs, substances, and precursors, including essential chemicals in the country.
Accordingly, the LDEA Deputy Executive Director, Lorenzo Pelham said the measures would protect the territorial borders of Liberia from the importation and exportation of drugs and controlled substances.
He indulged the recent increase in drug trafficking which directly involved Liberia, infiltration of terrorism, coupled with logistical challenges that have all but exacerbated the challenges that underscored the need for more investment to be made in establishing a Drugs Data Center and Intelligence gathering system.
Deputy Director Pelham indicated the LDEA deployment strategy intends to deploy an intelligence management information system and immediately establish a secure Data Center that would coordinate intelligence gathering and sharing between international security organizations and domestic law enforcement organizations.
Said Executive Director Pelham, "On that we are not equipped to do that, I will be honest, we are striving to get to that level but we are not up to that task but then we depend on our International partners. We got the Interpol, the US Embassy, we got our counterparts around Africa that we relate to and we share information.
"If we talk about technologies that will track down the various airports, like the seaports, we don't have that. We need more support."
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He estimated the cost to hire the consultancy firm to provide the needed and required service setup of a secured data entry within the current DEA facility with the needed high-speed servers, raised floors, fire suppression system, smoke alarm system, handheld drugs detection devices, customized Drugs Intelligence information system with the capability of integration to global security systems would value USD 35, 000,000.
"We have plans that we have set up already, we called for a meeting a few weeks ago, and maybe in the next two weeks that will be addressed. If we will take about support, maybe around USD35,000, 000. to support the LDEA."
"We can do that, we have set up a team, and we have craft plans to see how better we can tackle that. Indeed we have a proposal already, we will present it in a day or two maybe next week or so to present at the level of the Senate and that of the lower house. I think the lower and the upper house go through it. They will buy the idea then they can allot funds for the LDEA."
He, however, indicated the prosed system is intended to integrate with the major Drugs intelligence systems in the sub-region- specifically WAPIS and INTERPOL to mentor and progress in terms of the arrest.
