Former Liberian vice president charged in drug-trafficking probe

Liberia has charged former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor with drug trafficking, money laundering and a range of other offences, the country's Justice Ministry announced.

Howard-Taylor, who served as vice president for six years to 2024, was detained before boarding a flight to leave Liberia at Roberts International Airport in the capital, Monrovia.

She was taken to national police headquarters, and has yet to make any public comments about the charges.

The West African country has launched a major crackdown of transnational drug trades, particularly cocaine trafficking, in recent years.

Howard-Taylor is accused of illegally importing, selling and transporting controlled drugs, as well as helping to facilitate drug trafficking.

Police have charged three foreign nationals – two Croatians and one Ukrainian – in absentia as part of their investigation. They are accused of being part of the same network as Howard-Taylor.

Liberian authorities say they are determined to apprehend the foreign nationals, and that they are targeting all parts of the drug-trafficking network: organisers, facilitators and financiers.

In recent months, officials have conducted multiple drug trafficking seizures, with some of them among the largest in the country's history.

She held a senior role in former President George Weah's administration, whose six years in power from 2018 to 2024 was plagued with allegations of corruption and financial mismanagement.

When President Joseph Boakai took over, he pledged to crack down on corruption.

He has also said that he does not want Liberia to turn into a haven for drug trafficking. West Africa is increasingly a major transit route for cocaine trading from South America to Europe.