ZWEDRU, Sept. 12 (LINA) – The Assistant Minister of Justice for Corrections, Eddie S Tarawally, has ordered the burning of drugs and contraband materials worth over a million Liberian dollars in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County.
The drugs and contraband materials were confiscated from inmates at several cells in the National Palace of Corrections, Liberia’s maximum prison.
Speaking to cross-section of journalists at the National Palace of Corrections, where the burning took place, Minister Tarawally alarmed over the huge quantity of drugs and contraband materials collected from the prison.
« This is unacceptable under our laws, » Tarawally acclaimed.
Stating that intelligence reports gathered revealed that the harmful substances were trafficked into the facilities by relatives and family members of inmates detained there.
According to him, sources mentioned that three prison officers and some family members were involved and investigations are ongoing with those mentioned.
He emphasized that anyone found connected to such actions with evidence, will be disrobed, dismissed and prosecuted accordingly.
He called on the prison administration to be vigilant in ensuring that no officer or anyone enters the facility with cell phone and must be checked thoroughly.
Also speaking, Grand Gedeh County Attorney E. Wilkins Nah, commended the minister and entire joint security for effecting the search process that yielded the drugs.
Nah emphasized that all hands are on desk to find the traffickers of those items into the prison facilities and if anyone is found they will be dealt with according to law.
The search process, something the minister referred to as ‘Shaking Down’, began on Friday September 9, 2022 and concluded on Sunday, September 11, 2022 with an open display of huge quantity of drugs and contraband substances, included opium, cocaine, heroin, cigarettes, cell phones, among others.
The occasion was attended by local authorities, joint security, CSO representatives, and the mass media, among others.
Paul G. Rancy, Southeastern Regional Supervisor