Liberia has charged former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor with drug trafficking, money laundering, and other offenses, the Justice Ministry announced Wednesday. The charges stem from an investigation into an alleged transnational narcotics network.
Howard-Taylor, who served as vice president from 2018 to 2024, was apprehended at Roberts International Airport while attempting to leave the country. She was subsequently taken to Liberia National Police headquarters, according to a statement from the ministry.
The charges against her include unlicensed importation, sale, distribution, and transportation of controlled substances, along with drug trafficking, criminal solicitation, criminal facilitation, criminal conspiracy, and money laundering. Howard-Taylor is also known for being the former wife of Charles Taylor, a former Liberian president convicted by an international war crimes court for his role in atrocities in Sierra Leone.
The Liberian government also indicted three foreign nationals in absentia for their alleged involvement in the network: Nikolai Ivancic and Mihovil Vrovac from Croatia, and Tara Zaderieko from Ukraine. Authorities stated that efforts are underway to locate and apprehend these individuals.
These charges follow Liberia's largest-ever drug seizure last month, which involved tons of cocaine valued at approximately $336 million. While that seizure implicated senior police officials, authorities have stated that the two cases are not connected.
West Africa has increasingly become a significant transit route for cocaine originating from South America and destined for Europe. Smugglers have exploited the region's porous borders and inconsistent enforcement to facilitate these operations.