By Wilmot Konah, dadekolly20@gmail.com
Monrovia, Liberia — Former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor has been arrested and charged in connection with the US$317.6 million cocaine seizure in Dauzon on July 21, 2026. Taylor was arrested on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, by the Joint National Security Task Force at Roberts International Airport while she was preparing to travel to Ghana to attend a women’s conference.
According to Justice Minister and Attorney General Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh, Taylor faces charges including criminal facilitation, criminal conspiracy, and money laundering. Minister Tweh said Taylor’s arrest was based on credible evidence and that she will be indicted by the Grand Jury before being forwarded to court for prosecution.
The government has also charged three foreign nationals in absentia—two Croatians and a Ukrainian—who are allegedly linked to the transnational narcotics network.
Speaking at a press conference at the Ministry of Information on Wednesday, Minister Tweh said the government would pursue all lawful domestic and international measures to locate, apprehend, and bring the three foreign suspects to justice in Liberia.
He also disclosed that former Deputy Director of the National Security Agency, Gerald Smith, has been summoned for questioning in connection with the ongoing drug investigation. Minister Tweh said authorities will pursue the alleged leaders, financiers, facilitators, transporters, operational coordinators, institutional protectors, and anyone knowingly assisting the network.
“No office is too high, no political connection is too powerful, no nationality provides immunity and no individual will be beyond the law,” Tweh said.
The Justice Minister described transnational narcotics trafficking as a direct threat to Liberia’s national security, public institutions, economy, and the future of young people.
So far, the former deputy head of government is the first major opposition political figure to be arrested and charged in connection with the ongoing investigation into the US$317.6 million cocaine seizure.
