Liberian authorities have arrested and charged former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor in connection with an ongoing investigation into an international drug trafficking ring, the Ministry of Justice confirmed.

Howard-Taylor, who served as Vice President under former President George Weah between 2018 and 2024, was intercepted at Roberts International Airport while attempting to board a flight out of the country. She was subsequently taken into custody at police headquarters in Monrovia.

According to statements from the attorney general, Howard-Taylor faces a series of severe charges, including drug trafficking, money laundering, unlicensed importation of controlled substances, criminal solicitation, and criminal conspiracy.

Her legal counsel, Kabineh Ja’neh, confirmed that she remains in police custody pending formal proceedings.

In addition to the former Vice President, Liberian prosecutors have charged three foreign nationals in absentia, identified as two Croatian citizens and one Ukrainian citizen, for their alleged participation in the syndicate. Liberian authorities stated they will work through international legal channels and law enforcement agencies to pursue their arrest.

The high-profile detention follows a massive law enforcement operation last month in which Liberian authorities seized an estimated $317 million worth of Europe-bound cocaine, spotlighting West Africa’s role as a transit route for international narcotics cartels.

Reiterating its commitment to prosecuting the case, the Justice Ministry stated there would be “no selective justice, political protection, sacred cows or compromise with organised criminality.”

–Reuters/ChannelAfrica–