Liberia has charged former Vice-President Jewel Howard-Taylor with drug trafficking, money laundering and other offences as part of an investigation into an alleged transnational narcotics network.

Howard-Taylor served as vice-president under former President George Weah from January 2018 to January 2024. She is also the former wife of Charles Taylor, the convicted war criminal and former president of Liberia.

The charges come less than a month after Liberian authorities announced the seizure of cocaine worth around $317 million, allegedly bound for Europe. The seizure was described as the country’s largest drug bust.

In June, authorities intercepted about 237.6 kilogrammes of cocaine at Roberts International Airport in Monrovia, valued at more than $19 million, and launched a joint national security investigation into the shipment and its possible links to organised criminal networks.

According to the Justice Ministry, the former vice-president was detained on Wednesday while attempting to leave Liberia through Roberts International Airport and was taken to police headquarters.

“There will be no selective justice, political protection, sacred cows or compromise with organised criminality,” the ministry said in a statement.

“Every person against whom credible and admissible evidence is established will be investigated and prosecuted without fear, favour or political consideration.”