Nearly four metric tons of cocaine, with an estimated street value of approximately $317 million, have been seized by authorities in Liberia, while a man carrying a Serbian passport was arrested during the operation. Photographs released by the Liberian police show that some of the cocaine packages were wrapped in Serbian flags.
Liberian police raided several warehouses in the Duazon area, about 20 kilometers from the capital, Monrovia, following a multi-year investigation into a suspected international drug trafficking network.
During the operation, authorities seized 3,871 kilograms of cocaine, with laboratory tests confirming the substance. In addition to the Serbian national, another suspect holding Colombian and Spanish documents was arrested. Authorities have not yet disclosed the origin of the cocaine or its intended final destination.
According to Liberian Police Chief Gregory Coleman, the investigation was launched after authorities observed a significant increase in cocaine trafficking through Liberia between 2018 and 2023.
Serbian criminologist Dobrivoje Radovanović said that the involvement of individuals from the Balkans in international cocaine trafficking networks is not surprising.
“The primary objective of traffickers is to transport cocaine from South America to the most profitable markets in Europe and North America. Unfortunately, individuals from the former Yugoslavia are often involved in this chain, as they have extensive experience in concealing and transporting narcotics,” he said.
According to Radovanović, Africa has become a strategic transit hub for drug traffickers due to weaker border controls and greater opportunities for corruption. He added that around 30% of the cocaine entering Europe now passes through the so-called ‘African route,’ according to United Nations estimates.
Liberia is also known for having one of the world’s largest ship registries, with thousands of vessels sailing under its flag due to favorable tax policies and low registration costs.
The report also notes that Africa, particularly South Africa, has for years served as a base of operations for Balkan organized crime groups. The region has previously witnessed violent clashes between Serbian and Montenegrin criminal organizations, primarily linked to cocaine trafficking and the illegal diamond trade.
