Capitol Building, Monrovia — The Minister of Justice and head of the National Security Council, Cllr. Oswald Tweh, provided just scanty details as he was called by the House of Representatives to present high-level briefing regarding the seizure of over US$19 million worth of cocaine at the Roberts International Airport (RIA).
Minister Tweh, who was cited along with the head of the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency or LDEA and the Management of the RIA, explained that the investigation is being elevated to a national security threat due to its potential links to international organized crime and its impact on aviation safety.
Security Nature
While acknowledging public demands for transparency, he informed lawmakers of the need to withhold specific details to prevent suspects from destroying evidence or compromising operational intelligence.
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"The implication to our security is critical. This matter has a very great potential transnational dimension with links to organized criminal networks. It is the government's determination not to treat this matter simply as a narcotics case, but as a significant national security threat," said the Justice Minister.
Attorney General Tweh further briefed members of the House of Representatives that the investigation is now a collaborative effort between joint security forces and international partners to uncover how the narcotics entered the country, and as such, it does not augur well to leak key aspects of the investigation, as such could jeopardize the entire investigative process.
According to him, the government prioritizes protecting the integrity of the inquiry over immediate public disclosure to ensure a successful prosecution.
"We have to invite our partners and friends to help us," the official further explained.
"Due to our own limited capacity, we must exchange information with our international counterparts."
Not Deterred by Public Pressure
Minister Tweh's testimonies before members of the House came on the heel of incessant public calls, particularly on social media, for authorities to release the names of individuals connected to the seizure; however, he insisted that investigators cannot be deterred by these compounding public pressure as disclosing sensitive details at this stage could undermine the investigation.
And despite some members of the House seeking critical information so as to allay fears and rumors that have the potential to derail the characters of key state actors, the Minister remained adamant to providing any further information except on the 'surface.'
"We understand the public interest in transparency and accountability. Those concerns are legitimate and understandable, but investigations must ensure that operational intelligence and evidentiary requirements are not compromised."
He warned that prematurely revealing the identities of persons of interest or details of the ongoing investigation could allow suspects to evade justice.
"We will not give any more information as we continue with this investigation. All of that will be protected during this ongoing investigation. We are willing to provide information, guided by wisdom, but if you are asking for every detail of the investigation, I think that would be detrimental. I want you to understand that."
"If we start revealing details of the investigation, persons of interest, or cooperating individuals, the bad guys will begin destroying evidence.
"We all know that this quantity of cocaine was seized in the country. The question now is: How did it get into the country? Who brought it here? Who are the local links? This is a wide-open investigation," Min. Tweah told House members.
Matter Moves to Executive Session
The Minister's failure to provide cogent information relative to the investigation ignited serious discontentment across the legislative floor, with some lawmakers calling for the discharge of the witness since they could not provide those needed details.
With jeers and cheers taking over the floor from opposition and party-driven lawmakers, the House Speaker prematurely ended the open session and announced an Executive Session to allow the witnesses to give some sensitive details.
Witnesses Maintain Stance as House Reverts to Open Session
Despite providing the secret platform, the witnesses, headed by the Justice Minister, maintained their stance, thus resulting in the House reverting to regular session for continuing 'on the surface' testimonies.
Investigative Team Promises Gradual Updates
Despite refusing to open up on the key details, the head of the National Security Council vows to provide the House of Representatives and by extension the Legislature with gradual details as the investigation unfolds.
"As I stated previously, we cannot give any information until the time of our conclusion, but you will be updated gradually as the investigation unfolds.
Several Persons of Interest Investigated, No Arrest Done
On the heel of information several persons are being investigated in connection to saga, Min. Tweh clarified those are people of interest who were invited for questioning but are not suspects.
He furthered that those being questioned were invited and not arrested as claimed by some quarters of the Liberian society.
Notwithstanding, he disclosed that one serious person of interest or a probably a suspect identified as Emmanuel Zeon, is being sought after and is seeking intervention in providing information on his whereabouts.
"No one has been arrested, but people of interest are being investigated. We are searching for one Emmanuel Zeon."
Concern Mounts Over Suspect's Status
Since the announcement and subsequent posting of the Suspect Zeon, there have been numerous counter social media posts that the person whose identity was posted by security apparatus as Emmanuel Zeon is no longer alive.
When asked regarding this information, the Minister responded: "We don't know whether Emmanuel Zeon dies or is alive. All I can tell you is that we are searching for him."
More Than a Routine Drug Trafficking
The Acting Director General of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), Fitzgerald T.M. Biago, also told members of the House that authorities are treating the case as more than a routine drug trafficking incident.
In line with the Minister of Justice, the Acting LDEA boss said the seizure poses significant threats to Liberia's border security, international aviation, financial integrity, public safety, and the country's international reputation.
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"This case is far more than a routine drug trafficking incident. It poses significant threats to Liberia's border security, international aviation, financial integrity, public safety, and the country's international reputation," the Acting LDEA head stated.
Suspect Identified
Biago also revealed that preliminary investigations indicate the cocaine shipment was transported to Roberts International Airport on June 5, 2026, by an individual identified only as Emmanuel Zeon, the same person named by Justice Minister Tweah.
Behind the Discovery
He said authorities obtained key information from airport surveillance footage and continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attempted shipment.
LAA Follows Aviation Guidelines in Arrest
Mr. John Z. Buway, Deputy Managing Director at Liberia Airport Authority (LAA), clarifies that while the airport management follows strict aviation guidelines, their primary role is limited to screening shipments for safety and accuracy.
Specifically, he revealed that security personnel are trained to identify discrepancies in weight or visual inconsistencies between an item's documentation and its X-ray image, a process that resulted in the detection of the substances.
He explained that when such irregularities occur, the airport staff is responsible for quarantining the suspicious cargo and alerting the appropriate national security agencies, noting that this protocol was followed in line with the arrest.
Among other things, Buway clarified that the actual investigation of these potential threats falls under the jurisdiction of national law enforcement rather than airport technical services.
