MONROVIA, LIBERIA — A confidential intelligence report reportedly circulated within the Liberian government months before the discovery of an estimated US$19.2 million cocaine shipment at Roberts International Airport allegedly warned of serious security weaknesses, organized smuggling, revenue leakage and declining enforcement controls at the country’s main international airport.
The document, dated January 6, 2026, is titled “Security, Revenue Leakage, and Organized Smuggling Risks at Roberts International Airport.” It is addressed to Liberia Revenue Authority Commissioner General James Dorbor Jallah and identifies its author only as a “Confidential Intelligence Cell.”
According to portions of the report published by Spoon TV Live, intelligence gathered from several sources allegedly identified RIA as a major transit and diversion point for narcotics and smuggled commercial goods.
The report claims that the alleged illicit activities were depriving the Liberian government of customs revenue, undermining airport security and exposing the country to international criminal networks.
It further alleges that operational changes within the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency at RIA, together with weaknesses in the handling and verification of cargo documents, had significantly reduced enforcement controls at the airport.
Report Questions LDEA Restructuring
One section of the document reportedly examines the restructuring of the LDEA following the appointment of a new agency leadership.
According to the report, LDEA personnel previously assigned to Roberts International Airport, including the airport commander, were removed and replaced.
The intelligence assessment reportedly questioned the timing, scope and selectivity of the restructuring, particularly because RIA was already known as a vulnerable transit point for cocaine and other illegal commodities.
The report allegedly suggests that the personnel changes weakened institutional knowledge and reduced the agency’s ability to identify and intercept suspected traffickers operating through established regional routes.
It goes further by alleging that the reorganization appeared consistent with attempts to consolidate control over drug enforcement operations at the airport, potentially protecting certain interests and reducing the possibility of interception.
However, the document excerpts presented publicly do not provide conclusive evidence establishing that any named government official or law-enforcement officer participated in drug trafficking.
Cargo Warehouse Named as Major Vulnerability
The report also raises concerns about alleged smuggling through the GLS Menzies cargo warehouse, an outsourced cargo-handling facility operating at RIA.
According to the document, several commercial consignments were allegedly removed from the warehouse without completing customs procedures or paying the required duties.
Some removals were reportedly facilitated by senior LRA and Customs officials, although the publicly available pages do not clearly identify all individuals allegedly involved.
The report describes the outsourced nature of cargo operations as a major systemic weakness, claiming that the facility could not independently guarantee the issuance of an official LRA flag receipt.
It alleges that this gap allowed goods to leave the airport without being fully recorded in the LRA’s customs and revenue systems.
Details from at least one airway bill were reportedly included as supporting evidence, with the report noting inconsistencies in routing information that required further investigation.
Questions for the Boakai Administration
The emergence of the report is likely to intensify public scrutiny of President Joseph Boakai’s administration and its handling of the US$19.2 million cocaine investigation.
The central question is whether senior officials received the intelligence assessment, what actions were taken after receiving it and why the alleged security vulnerabilities remained unresolved before the major cocaine shipment was intercepted.
The report also raises questions about coordination among the LDEA, Liberia Revenue Authority, airport management, Customs authorities and private cargo-handling companies.
The government has yet to publicly authenticate the document or provide a detailed explanation of the actions allegedly taken following its submission.
Authorities will also be expected to clarify whether the allegations regarding personnel restructuring, cargo removals and weakened enforcement controls were investigated.
The excerpts currently circulating online represent only selected portions of the alleged report. Its authenticity, complete findings and supporting evidence have not been independently verified. Individuals or institutions mentioned or implicated in the document should therefore be presumed innocent unless credible evidence establishes wrongdoing.
Nevertheless, the alleged warnings—if authenticated—could demonstrate that serious concerns about narcotics trafficking, smuggling and security failures at Roberts International Airport were known within government.
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