Monrovia — Fresh allegations of cocoa smuggling have engulfed the Liberia Agriculture Commodity Regulatory Authority (LACRA), exposing deep internal divisions among its top leadership and prompting an urgent investigation by the institution's Board of Directors.
At the center of the controversy is Interim Director General Mr. Dan T. Saryee, Sr., who has accused a private exporter, Zeno Industry situated at the LACRA compound in Ganta, Nimba County, of bypassing established regulatory procedures to ship cocoa out of the country.
A leaked communication, reportedly authored by Mr. Saryee and obtained by FrontPage Africa, alleges that a shipment made on February 7, 2026, by Zeno Industry did not follow mandatory export protocols.
"A review of our records shows no application for export, no valid quality control certificate and no recorded invoices. This shipment appears to have bypassed LACRA established regulatory procedure," the letter stated.
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The letter further demanded that Zeno Industry submit all documentation related to the shipment and clarify how any certification was obtained. When contacted, Mr. Saryee confirmed the authenticity of the letter but declined to provide further comments.
Multiple LACRA staff members, speaking on condition of anonymity, described cocoa smuggling as a "normal business practice" within the institution -- one that has significantly reduced government revenue while enriching a few individuals.
They pointed to efforts by former Director General Christopher D. Sankolo, who was suspended in 2025 by President Nyumah Boakai, as a rare attempt to curb the practice.
Sankolo had deployed a seven-member task force at the Freeport of Monrovia in March 2025. After the deployment of the Taskforce, the relationship reportedly deteriorated between Sankolo and his Deputy Director General for Operations and Technical Services but however, the move reportedly led to the interception of several hundred metric tons of cocoa being smuggled, with at least one case forwarded to the Liberia National Police for investigation.
When Sankolo got suspended, the task was immediately and illegally dissolved despite working for one month of the 6-month contract. The case was adjudicated by the Ministry of Labor and LACRA was made to pay the unexpired term of the Taskforce Inspector contract.
The CEO of Zeno Industry has rejected the allegations, insisting that all dealings were conducted through LACRA's operational leadership.
"I have dealt with the Director of Operations, not the DG. Normally he is the person in charge. I never received any communication for any changes in procedures," the CEO said.
He further challenged LACRA to provide proof of wrongdoing, suggesting that any discrepancies could indicate internal misuse of government resources.
Despite promising to provide full documentation, the CEO only submitted a letter from his legal counsel addressed to LACRA to FrontPage Africa and declined to share key records such as export applications, quality certification and payment invoices.
An internal LACRA memo dated October 23, 2025, outlined strict institutional roles, stating that only the Department of Commercial and Marketing is authorized to handle shipment processing, certification, and licensing. The memo also assigned the IT Department the responsibility of printing official documents in coordination with the commercial unit.
The directive explicitly warned against interference by other departments -- raising further questions about how the disputed shipment was processed and by whom.
The situation has been further complicated by claims from the Deputy Director General for Operations and Technical Services Mr. Godia Alpha Kortu Gongolee, who reportedly told the Interim Director General that his signature was forged on documents used by Zeno Industry.
However, during a recent meeting with the head of the Board Josephine Francis, Antonio Zeno, Zeno's CEO, allegedly contradicted this claim, asserting that Gongolee personally issued the documents and received the payment.
Sources within LACRA describe a deepening internal conflict between Saryee and his two deputies, with allegations of favoritism and nepotism fueling tensions.
Staff claim that Saryee has reportedly recruited individuals based on family ties and personal relationships, often placing them on significantly higher salaries than other employees in similar roles.
One such person, the staff claim is Saryee's son, Obel Saryee, who serves as Deputy General Services Director and reportedly paid higher than his boss, the General Services Director. The growing dissatisfaction has reportedly created a toxic working environment and is said to be weakening institutional cohesion with staff believing if the Board doesn't take seize of the matter, there could be fight like the situation at the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA).
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Industry observers note that illegal cocoa exports have increased since Saryee assumed interim leadership and the unlawful dissolution of the Taskforce Inspectors following Sankolo's suspension nearly a year ago. Despite earlier efforts to tighten controls, unauthorized trade routes and weak enforcement mechanisms continue to undermine the sector.
Saryee himself has acknowledged the implications, warning that such activities are part of a network that threatens Liberia's agricultural trade system and deprives the government of critical revenue.
In response to the escalating crisis, the head of LACRA's Board, Madam Francis, convened an emergency meeting on Friday, April 17, 2026, to investigate the allegations. The meeting reportedly included an appearance by the Zeno Industry CEO.
When contacted the Board Chair, Madam Josephine Francis-George promised to respond on Thursday this week after the Board meeting.
