Liberia Charges Former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor Over Alleged Drug Trafficking
Liberian authorities have charged former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor with drug trafficking, money laundering and several related offences as part of an investigation into an alleged transnational narcotics network.
The country’s Ministry of Justice announced the charges on Wednesday, following Howard-Taylor’s arrest at Roberts International Airport while she was reportedly attempting to leave the country. She was subsequently taken to the headquarters of the Liberia National Police.
Howard-Taylor, who served as Liberia’s vice president from 2018 to 2024, is accused of offences including the unlicensed importation, sale, distribution and transportation of controlled substances, as well as criminal solicitation, facilitation, conspiracy and money laundering.
The allegations have not been proven in court, and her guilt or innocence will be determined through the legal process.
Three foreign nationals have also been charged in absentia in connection with the alleged narcotics network. They include Croatian nationals Nikolai Ivancic and Mihovil Vrovac, as well as Ukrainian national Tara Zaderieko. Authorities say efforts are underway to locate and arrest them.
The case comes amid an intensified crackdown on drug trafficking and organised criminal networks in Liberia.
In recent months, the country has recorded several major narcotics seizures. In June, authorities intercepted about 237.6 kilogrammes of cocaine at Roberts International Airport, with an estimated street value of more than $19 million.
A month later, Liberian authorities announced another major cocaine seizure involving nearly four tonnes of the drug, valued at about $317 million. The two investigations, however, are separate from the case involving Howard-Taylor.
Liberia’s Drug Enforcement Agency has also stepped up operations against narcotics trafficking, recording hundreds of arrests and significant drug seizures in recent months.
The charges against Howard-Taylor are likely to draw significant attention, given her status as a former vice president and the wider concerns over Liberia’s vulnerability to transnational drug trafficking networks.
The development also underscores growing efforts by West African governments to curb the use of the region as a transit route for cocaine and other illicit drugs destined for international markets.
