Freetown, 19th August 2026- The Government of Liberia has formally charged former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor with drug trafficking and money laundering following the seizure of a record US$317 million cocaine shipment in Paynesville.
According to Front Page Africa, Justice Minister N. Oswald Tweh announced the charges Wednesday at a press conference, stressing that Taylor remains presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court. “These charges are allegations under the law,” Tweh said, citing Liberia’s Controlled Drugs and Substances Act of 2023.
According to Tweh, Taylor faces multiple counts under the Act, including: Section 14.83- Unlicensed Importation of Controlled Drugs or Substances, Section 14.85- Unlicensed Sale, Trading, Administration, Dispensation, Delivery, Distribution, Dispatch in Transit and Transportation, Section 14.93- Illicit Trafficking
Tweh further disclosed that three foreign nationals have been charged in absentia in connection with the same alleged offenses.
Liberia National Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman confirmed that Taylor’s charges stem from the July seizure of the multimillion‑dollar cocaine consignment at a warehouse in the VOA Community, Paynesville.
Taylor was prevented from leaving Liberia on Wednesday morning as she prepared to travel to Accra, Ghana, for a women’s forum. She was stopped at the airport and directed to report to Police Headquarters for questioning.
In a brief statement, Taylor acknowledged the incident: “I was about to travel to Accra to attend a women’s forum when I was informed that I am not allowed to leave the country. I have been asked to report to the police station. I am on my way there now.”
Her detention and subsequent charges mark a dramatic escalation in Liberia’s widening probe into major narcotics trafficking. Authorities say the Paynesville seizure is among the largest in the country’s history, underscoring the scale of organized drug networks operating in West Africa.
The case has already drawn regional attention, with observers noting its potential impact on Liberia’s political and judicial landscape.
