Liberian Government Burns Seized Cocaine

An estimated ninety barrels of the hard drug cocaine worth about US$500 million seized from a stranded vessel, ‘Blue Atlantic’, has been burnt in Monrovia, capital of Liberia.

The vessel arrested about 550 kilometers off the Liberian coast by a French Naval vessel, was brought to the Freeport of Monrovia on Thursday and turned over to Liberian government authorities on Friday.

Justice Minister Philip Banks told journalists on Saturday that the cocaine was burnt on Friday night “to prevent the Freeport becoming a target of criminals who might want to get hold of the drug’.

But officials of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have condemned the burning of such huge quantity of drugs in the open air, which they noted could pose health hazards for the public.

Meanwhile, the nine Ghanaian crew who were on board the “Blue Atlantic” during its arrest have been turned over to the justice ministry for prosecution.

Source African Press Agency

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