Police in Brewerville have arrested a 17-year-old cold bowl seller and three others with a huge consignment of drugs worth over L$5M.
The cold bowl seller has been identified as one Precious Kollie, 17. She was apprehended by the police along with three others, including Abraham Perry, 16, Emmanuel Jackson, 26, and John Kollie, 16.
In Liberia, cold bowl seller is a person who sells cooked food at the local level.
The drugs allegedly confiscated from the suspects include: Italian white, kush, marijuana, cocaine, tramadol, amongst others.
According to the Commander of the Zone Six Police Station in Brewerville, district # 17, Montserrado County Charles Cassell, the suspects were arrested in the Wilson Corner Community following a tip-off from some residents.
He claimed that suspect Precious was arrested under the pretense of selling food.
He said the latest arrest is in fulfillment of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai's agenda to prevent the spread and trafficking of illicit drugs in Liberia.
Cassell maintained that the police will continue to collaborate with its counterparts at the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) to apprehend and ensure the prosecution of drug users and dealers.
"We have been very stringent to see how best we can clean up the city and its environs from drugs abuse and trafficking. We have put our feet down; and our authorities have encouraged us to continue to be consistent in executing our mandate."
He stressed that the sale and intake of narcotics and other dangerous substances is endangering the future of the young generation of Liberia.
He pointed out that recently; the police discovered the bodies of three young men, while others are running mad as a result of taking in on a daily basis.
Cassell cautioned that the latest arrest of the drug suspects, including a cold bowl seller, should serve as a warning to unscrupulous individuals who are hiding behind their businesses to trade narcotics and other illegal drugs.
He said the police will not relent to ensure the arrest and subsequent prosecution of anyone engage into the unwholesome act regardless of status or affiliation.
"We can assure you that we will continue to be persistent and focus in our operations to get rid of drugs in our country. Anybody caught in the act of dealing drugs should desist because, we will not relent on working with our counterparts to have you arrested and forwarded to court."
For her part, suspect Precious Kollie denied the allegation.
She claimed that she was preparing food to sell when the police stormed her selling place and arrested her.
She, however, admitted that one of the police officers claimed to have found a plastic bag containing marijuana at her business center.
"I normally sell in front of the video club. I fried the fish to cook the food. I heard the gun shot and all the boys were running. The police normally tell us that anytime they are going to raid somewhere we the market women shouldn't run. I was standing and the police man came to me and asked 'what's in the plastic?'
"When the police emptied the plastic, they saw the fish; they took few steps but when they turned around again, they saw another plastic at the time I was picking my fish. They opened the plastic (bag) and saw marijuana. The plastic (bag) they found was not in my fish bowl or my hands."
"If you are in the act of selling drugs, we want you to desist now because it is very harmful. On a daily basis, our children are dying because of this. Any member of the public involved, we are warning you to deviate and find something else to do."
Though illicit drug believed to be Kush was seen stuck into the fried fish arrested by the police, suspect Precious denied her involvement into the sale of drugs.
"The fish is for me, but to be honest I don't sell or take in drugs. I don't know where the police took the drugs from."
Suspect Emmanuel Jackson, 26, admitted to be arrested by the police with "Italian white" worth several thousand Liberian dollars.
According to him, the illicit substance was given to him to sell by a Nigerian identified as one Thomas.
"I been selling for him three months ago now. I just want for them to forgive me."
Abraham Perry, 16 admitted that he was caught with drugs in a nearby ghetto when the police went to raid the area.
He claimed that the police officers entered with guns at the time he was resting and his colleagues had already escaped from the police.
"I went to someone and while the person was running the plastic (of drugs) dropped. I can go in the gap (ghetto) to take Kush but I can't sell it."
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John Kollie, 16 pointed out that he was arrested after he had gone at the police station to inquire about the arrest of his sister Precious.
He denied being linked or involved to the intake and sale of narcotics.
"When the police went to make the arrest, I was not on the scene. It was some people in the community who told me that my sister was arrested. I decided to come to where they were carrying her. I came here and one officer sent me to buy his water. And the OPS said they should arrest me. They charged my pockets and they didn't find any drugs there."
John claimed that he is a local business man in Brewerville, but his arrest by the police has tarnished his reputation.
"My sister is selling cold bowl even though we live around a ghetto. The boys can leave from the graveyard to come and buy food. But I do not sell or smoke drugs. I was arrested at the police station with no drugs on me. I am innocent and I don't know my sister to be drug addict or trafficker."
Meanwhile, the four suspects are expected to be formally charged and sent to court for prosecution.
