[CLSTR]
< Back to situations

Monitor this situation.

[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE] · [CRIME]

7 clusters · 18 sources · 31 days · First seen · Last updated

International cocaine seizure operations 2026

Overview

In mid‑July 2026, Colombian naval forces, supported by a multinational task force including the United States, Costa Rica, and Panama, intercepted over 6,000 kg of cocaine and marijuana across the Caribbean and Pacific. Some Caribbean shipments bore marks linked to the Spanish port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, while a separate operation near Costa Rica seized 3,220 kg of marijuana and 175 kg of cocaine. Later that month, Liberian security forces conducted a major raid in Duazon, east of Monrovia, seizing an estimated $370 million worth of high‑purity cocaine. This was followed on 24 July by the seizure of an additional 3,971 kg of cocaine valued at approximately $317 million. Both incidents involved suspects holding Colombian, Spanish, and Serbian passports, including one individual with a Serbian diplomatic passport. These seizures, alongside a previous $19 million bust at Roberts International Airport, have highlighted West Africa’s role as a transit hub for shipments bound for Europe. Simultaneously, Italian financial police uncovered more than 800 kg of cocaine hidden in Ecuadorian banana shipments at the port of Vado Ligure. The presence of the Serbian flag on some parcels prompted investigations into a possible Balkan criminal dimension. By August 2026, the scale of these operations prompted Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to convene a high-level security meeting to address major cocaine seizures and emerging threats along the border with Guinea. Senator Amara Konneh characterized the situation as a “two-front war,” urging the government to combat both international cartels and internal corruption. In response to the narcotics crisis and port vulnerabilities, President Boakai signed two port autonomy bills into law, ending decades of centralized control. The legislation establishes the National Ports Regulatory Commission of Liberia to oversee standards and grants operational independence to ports in Monrovia, Buchanan, Greenville, and Harper.

Entities

Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency · Joseph N. Boakai · Joe Zadrozny · Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence · Liberia National Police

Timeline

  1. 2 days ago

    [POLITICS] 2 sources
    Liberia enacts port autonomy laws to decentralize management

    President Joseph N. Boakai signed laws granting autonomy to Liberia’s sea and inland ports, creating a new national regulator while sparking debates over security gaps and political rivalries.

  2. 5 days ago

    [POLITICS] 2 sources
    Liberia President signs port decentralization bill amid drug crisis

    President Joseph Boakai signed a bill decentralizing Liberia’s ports amid a major national narcotics investigation and a massive $317 million cocaine seizure.

  3. 9 days ago

    [CRIME] 3 sources
    Liberia President Boakai convenes security meeting over major cocaine seizures

    President Joseph Boakai is convening a security meeting to investigate massive cocaine seizures in Liberia, as officials face pressure to combat both international cartels and internal corruption.

  4. 26 days ago

    [CRIME] 3 sources
    Liberia seizes $317 million cocaine shipment bound for Europe

    Liberia police seized nearly 4 tonnes of cocaine worth $317 million in Duazon, arresting two suspects; the bust underscores West Africa’s role as a major cocaine transit route to Europe.

  5. 27 days ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources
    Serbia linked to $370 million cocaine seizures in Liberia and Italy

    Large cocaine seizures worth $370 million in Liberia and Italy involved a Serbian citizen with a diplomatic passport and packages marked with the Serbian flag, raising concerns over possible Balkan criminal and

  6. 29 days ago

    [CRIME] 11 sources
    Liberia seizes record $370 million cocaine haul

    Liberian police raid Duazon warehouse, seize cocaine worth over $370 million and arrest two foreigners and several locals – the biggest bust in the nation’s history.

  7. about 1 month ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources
    Colombian navy and partners seize more than 6,000 kg of cocaine and marijuana in Caribbean and Pacific operations

    Colombian navy and a U.S.-led task force seized over 6 tons of cocaine and marijuana in Caribbean and Pacific operations, revealing extensive South‑American drug routes.

Sources

analystliberiaonline.com · athleticsasia.org · cannabislaw.report · crime-nieuws.nl · dan.co.me · frontpageafricaonline.com · ghanaiantimes.com.gh · gnnliberia.com · guinee7.com · istokpress.mk · mix929.com · myjoyonline.com · nos.nl · paparazzi.com.ar · smartnewsliberia.com · srbijadanas.net · uasvision.com · unitednews.sr

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history