Washington — In July 2024, when Liberia was first engulfed in the trafficking of Kush, a traditional strain of cannabis originating from the Hindu Kush mountains, and the other, a dangerously addictive synthetic drug mixture that became rampant in West Africa, the legend of Michael US Browne AKA "US Marshall," was already known to many in the circles of the Roberts International Airport.
It was his taste for flaunting around US dollar bills that coined him the moniker, "US Marshall."
At the time, the illicit synthetic substance Kush was actively being trafficked through both the RIA and the Bo Waterside border, and multiple busts indicated these were major routes of entry into the country.
The Untouchable "US Marshall"
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
In fact, the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) confiscated multiple boxes of synthetic drugs arriving via commercial flights. This included a massive bust in July 2024, where 10 kilograms of Kush (hidden as tealeaves with an estimated street value of US$200,000) were intercepted at RIA after arriving on an SN Brussels flight.
That incident, which led to the firing of Browne, is now drawing major parallels and damaging links to the recent US$19 million drug bust. FPA has been informed that, following the incident, Browne was dismissed by the management of the Liberia Airport Authority because of his involvement in the clearing of concealed narcotics at the RIA. But he was never arrested!
This investigation identifies Browne as a previously dismissed employee whose alleged connections deserve closer scrutiny.
Last week, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai directed the National Joint Security, under the National Security Council, to launch a comprehensive investigation into the US$19 million cocaine bust, rejecting cover-up concerns while ordering aggressive measures to unearth and prosecute the broader criminal networks.
What We know
The emergence of Browne, however, raises more questions than answers and has the potential to undermine the President's assertions.
Two investigators directly involved in the investigation confirmed to FrontPageAfrica that Browne has emerged as one of the individuals who placed the call to Person-of-Interest, Paul King, regarding one of the packages of cocaine, a package handler told investigators, was stashed at Paul's residence.
Investigators informed FPA last week that since June 12, 2026, authorities have been in the know about Browne's links but have so far failed to name him as a person of interest in the case, or call him in for questioning.
In fact, some investigators speaking to FPA on condition of anonymity say, very little effort has been made to find the former airport employee now believed to be a central figure that could fill the missing blanks in a case drawing scores of criticisms and seems to be leading nowhere.
Investigators say Browne has been on their radar for quite some time.
So, why is Browne not in custody?
The incident has reportedly spurred tension between the DEA and the joint investigative team. DEA sources tell FrontPageAfrica they are not sure why more is not being done to bring Browne in for questioning. "To arrest him will open a whole can of worms and perhaps unveil some hidden hands behind this drug business," an investigative source told FPA Sunday.
Rahem Bah, The Ghost
When investigators sat down with Paul King, following his return to Monrovia last week, the General Manager of GLS Menzies named an individual, Rahem Bah, as the first person who placed a call to him regarding a parcel containing Lappas and Maggie cubes, seeking GLS Menzies' service to ship the package to the United Kingdom.
Paul, along with his brother, Peter, is named as a Person of Interest in the investigation. Paul, who was in the US during the time of the bust, returned home early last week and voluntarily surrendered to authorities.
Paul's mention of Bah has raised eyebrows and proved to be a daunting mystery, even to investigators looking into the case.
Even more troubling, a FrontPageAfrica investigation found that the Lone Star number (0880070919), from which Paul says Rahem Bah called him, is registered in Michael Browne's name, throwing a monkey wrench in the investigation and drawing more scrutiny on the call Paul says Bah made to him. The discovery suggests that Rahim Bah was a figment of Browne's imagination - and really does not exist.
Telecommunications records reviewed by FrontPageAfrica show that the Lonestar number registered in Browne's name has several calls made to multiple employees at the airport. Although the contents of those calls have not been determined, investigators say, Browne still has strong ties to a network at the airport, routinely engaging in concealment of drugs on flights to Europe.
What Investigators are Examining
While Paul told investigators that Rahem Bah placed a call to him, investigators are not so sure, giving the fact that the number is registered in Browne's name. Did Browne or an associate impersonate Bah?
Even investigators are baffled.
When he sat down with investigators following his return to Monrovia last week, Paul named Bah as the person behind the cocaine, which was delivered at his home. "I respectfully submit this report concerning a shipment arranged on behalf of Mr. Rahem Bah, which was later reported by authorities to contain a prohibited substance," Paul wrote.
Paul also indicated to investigators that while coordinating shipment documentation and assisting customers with export arrangements, he does not conduct physical inspections of cargo, perform security screening, or determine the contents of shipments presented by customers.
Ironically, the RIA, like most airports, routinely makes public service announcements cautioning travelers against accepting packages from strange travelers.
Paul says on November 4, 2024, Bah contacted his office requesting assistance with an export shipment destined for London Heathrow Airport (LHR).
According to Paul, the shipment details were submitted via email, and quotations and invoices were provided in the normal course of business. "The shipper was identified as Rahem Bah, using telephone number 0880070919 [1]. On November 24, 2024, Mr. Bah again contacted our office requesting quotations for additional shipments. He was subsequently added to our business communication platform, and additional quotations were provided."
What About Emmanuel Kpah?
FPA investigation has also found that a second number cited by Paul King during the investigation is registered to Evelyn Zuo, who is believed to be a friend of Emmanuel Kpah.
Kpah, FPA has learned, is captured on the CCTV of UBA bank making a deposit. The UBA Bank has reportedly turned over the CCTV footage to the joint security team investigating the drug bust.
Like Browne, Kpah is also not listed as a person of interest. Although it is unclear why, some within the DEA are raising concerns that the joint investigative team may be taking their focus away from Kpah, even though he is pictured on CCTV at UBA bank making what investigators say was the deposit from Bah toward the shipment of the drugs taken to Paul's house, as stated by Paul in his statement to investigators.
More troubling for the investigation is Paul's request for protection and the government's decision not to treat his home, where the drugs were stashed, as a crime scene.
In Paul's own words, GLS had previously done business with the person who identified as Bah. "To the best of my knowledge, no concerns or irregularities were reported to him regarding those shipments," Paul said of previous business dealings with Bah.
In fact, Paul explained to investigators that earlier this month, a shipment on or about June 5, 2026, Mr. Rahem Bah contacted GLS office requesting a quotation for another shipment. "That shipment was presented under the business name Emre Group of Companies, reportedly located in Sinkor, with contact number 0779368710. At the time this shipment was being processed, I was outside the Republic of Liberia and was not physically present to supervise or participate in the handling of the cargo."
It can be recalled that before the bust, several concealed drugs had slipped through the authorities at the RIA. Yet Paul says that prior business dealings with Mr. Bah were as a returning customer, and because prior shipments had been processed without incident. "I facilitated the arrangements remotely in the ordinary course of business. The shipment request was forwarded to our cargo handling partner, EHS, which provided the quotation and coordinated the cargo acceptance process. The shipment was documented under Air Waybill (AWB) No. 020-07407960 [2] with a declared weight of approximately 198 kilograms, consisting of six packages at approximately 33 kilograms each. Weight Discrepancy Following cargo acceptance and handling procedures at the airport, the shipment was reweighed and recorded at approximately 233 kilograms, creating a significant discrepancy between the declared and actual weight. "
Too Many Questions, So Little Answers
For now, questions continue to linger regarding the point of entry: Who brought the drugs into Liberia? Where did it pass? Why is the investigation not focusing on how the drugs got into the country?
Drug cartels do not operate in vacuums or silos. They penetrate several layers of the economy and a country's bureaucracy. In order for drug shipments to flow through a country, there must be the active or implicit involvement of key personnel at ports of entry, especially customs officers. Cocaine comes in large consignments, often in containers mixed with other goods like frozen foods or bulk commodities. The cocaine route out of South America into West Africa is mostly channeled through food distribution.
In October of 2022, there was a 100-million-dollar cocaine drug bust, the largest in Liberian history, involving 520 kilograms seized at a cold storage facility in Topoe Village in Gardnersville.
The pure cocaine was smuggled from Brazil and hidden in frozen chicken destined for the Liberian market.
The large cocaine bust was a joint effort by the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency and the National Security Agency, with intelligence from American security agencies. Two primary suspects, one from Guinea-Bissau and a Lebanese national, were arrested. In the current RIA bust, no foreign national has been implicated so far, but this indicates the dragnet to catch perpetrators is not wide enough.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Storage, Warehousing, and Shipment Requires Security
There are also questions regarding the storage: Who took the drugs from the point of border entry to storage? In fact, where is the point of storage? Who was responsible for the storage of the drugs, and more importantly, how long did the drugs stay there?
More pressing questions also linger over the point of exit: Who took the drugs to RIA? Who gave the instructions to take the drugs to the RIA? Who was responsible for the drug bust? Are they suspects in custody? If not, why? And why is it taking so long for investigative to bust the case open?
The large amount of drugs busted at RIA requires a tight-knit security operation, ensuring that rival drug gangs and law enforcement do not intercept the consignment during shipment. That would require guns, ammunition and probable ties to state security or paramilitary groups. Drug cartels are noMtorious for violence, even against state security. Who then is providing security for the cartel?
Money movement involves bankers and parallel financial institutions
Drug cartels must move large amounts of cash between countries, destinations, transit points, and origins. In order to determine the legitimacy of money in banks, institutions like the Financial Intelligence Agency must run tests on large amounts of currency flowing into banks. Liberia's dual currency, with 80 percent dollarization, provides a haven for dirty money.
As a result of the complex and dangerous nature of drug operations, Liberian authorities have a daunting task to bring the cartel to book, which might require an independent probe by international investigators.
Reining in "US Marshall Browne" could lead to Bigger Fish
As Liberians and international stakeholders search for answers, the lack of urgency by authorities to rein in the likes of "US Marshall" Browne is worrisome. What's holding authorities back Ffrom finding him? Who are they trying to shield from the limelight of this issue that is threatening Liberia's political and economic survival?
The startling reality is that Liberia appears to be on the receiving end of a crisis already crippling next-door Sierra Leone, now harboring Dutch fugitive Jos Leijdekkers, whose markings are becoming visible by the day in Liberia.
Browne may hold the key and the answers to a lot of these questions, but many fear that something sinister may be keeping authorities from going a step further to bring this ugly saga to an end.
