JUSTICE MINISTER OSWALD TWEH ANNOUNCES FORMAL CHARGES AGAINST CDC EX-VP JEWEL HOWARD-TAYLOR IN US$19.2M COCAINE CASE, CITES MONEY LAUNDERING AND TRANSNATIONAL TRAFFICKING
BY: Rufus Divine Brooks Jr.
MONROVIA — Former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor has been formally charged with multiple criminal offenses in connection with Liberia’s ongoing investigation into a US$19.2 million cocaine seizure at Roberts International Airport, Justice Minister and Attorney General Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh announced Tuesday.
According to the Minister, the charges stem from what the government describes as a transnational narcotics network that allegedly used Liberia as a transit point.
Cllr. Tweh disclosed that Madam Howard-Taylor faces charges including, Unlicensed importation, distribution and transportation of controlled substances, Illicit trafficking, Criminal solicitation, facilitation and conspiracy, Money laundering under Liberia’s Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Law.
The Justice Minister said the charges follow months of investigation by the Joint National Security Investigative Task Force, working with international partners.
Meanwhile, the government also announced charges in absentia against two Croatian nationals and one Ukrainian national described as alleged members and organizers of the same narcotics network.
Minister Tweh told reporters that the case has “a very great potential transnational dimension with links to organized criminal networks and that authorities are treating it as a significant national security threat, not just a narcotics case.
He added that the investigation is being conducted in collaboration with international partners to determine how the narcotics entered the country and to identify all local links.
As part of the widening probe, former NSA Deputy Director for Administration Joseph Gerald Smith has been called in for questioning in connection with the investigation.
The Ministry of Justice previously disclosed that several persons of interest have been identified, including airport security officials, cargo handlers, scanner operators, and executives connected to airport cargo operations.
Some individuals linked to the investigation are reported to be currently at large.
The charges relate to the seizure of 237.6 kilograms of cocaine valued at approximately US$19.2 million at RIA in June 2026.
A separate US$317 million cocaine bust has also generated public calls for a comprehensive investigation into drug trafficking networks operating in the region.
Former VP Howard-Taylor herself had earlier called on the government to ensure due process and preserve evidence before destroying seized narcotics, warning that Liberia’s commitment to fighting drugs “must never come at the expense of justice”.
Justice Minister Tweh said the government is prioritizing the integrity of the investigation over immediate public disclosure to avoid compromising evidence.
He warned that prematurely revealing details could allow suspects to evade justice.
The announcement is expected to draw sharp political reaction.
CDC partisans have previously accused the Unity Party government of “scapegoating” and political targeting in the cocaine cases.