Liberia’s Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) has arrested 37-year-old Kenyan citizen, Larnah B. Arondo, for attempting to smuggle 8.642 kilograms of heroin into Liberia. Arondo was apprehended at Roberts International Airport (RIA) on February 1, 2025, around 3:00 AM after arriving on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET-933, which came from Thailand via Addis Ababa.
The heroin, valued at approximately $388,890, was cleverly hidden within the frame of a canopy. During her initial questioning, Arondo revealed that a Nigerian man, known as Alex, residing in Thailand, gave her the drugs to deliver to a Liberian contact, identified as Abel Somah Gbedia.
Upon receiving this vital information, LDEA officers promptly arrested Gbedia, who is now also in custody. Investigations are ongoing as authorities work to uncover the larger drug trafficking network. Both Arondo and Gbedia face serious charges.
This arrest underscores Liberia’s ongoing battle against drug trafficking, especially at key points like RIA. The LDEA has ramped up its surveillance and enforcement efforts, successfully intercepting significant drug shipments. Authorities remain resolute in their commitment to fighting narcotics trafficking and preventing Liberia from being a drug transit point.
