The Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA) has disclosed plans to cut all the networks that are importing drugs in the country on a daily basis.
Speaking Tuesday June 19, 2024, at the Grand Gedeh Bar Association’s rule of law training in Monrovia, Officer-in-Charge of the LDEA, Christopher Peters said LDEA will deploy its agents across the country including airports, seaports and all land borders around the country.
He disclosed that the harmful drug known as Kush is still coming into the country in huge numbers from Serra Leone and Guinea. He added that LDEA agents arrested kush recently which was brought into the country from Kenya.
According to him, this shows that the LDEA has to enhance measures at the various borders, seaports and airport ensuring that they can track drugs.
“We believe that once we reduce the entry of drugs, the demand will be low on the market, once there is no drugs people will not consume it,” he said.
Peters indicated that the Ministry of Health is about to spearhead the rehabilitation process of drugs users while the LDEA an entity will focus on reducing drugs in the country.
According to him, LDEA is working on a framework that when they make an arrest, the defendant(s) will have the right to choose between going to jail or going to the rehabilitation center.
He stated that the Ministry of Youth and Sports will provide the necessary skills for them after the rehabilitation process.
“We will be working with other ministries and rehabilitation centers, our goal is to reduce supply, once the supply is reduced the demand will reduce,” he added.“
However, he disclosed that the LDEA is matching its action with the work they do.
At the same time, the LDEA is calling on the Government of Liberia and other policymakers to work along with the agency as they enhance the process of drugs reduction across the country.
He pointed out that from the beginning of June till now the LDEA has secured 19 indictments around the country and it was possible through the hard work and dedication of the joint security.
He disclosed that the LDEA will be destroying drugs that have been received from the Roberts International Airport in the coming weeks.
According to him, the first Drug Law was signed in 1998 as the first framework leading to the organization of the Drugs Enforcement Agency (DEA).
