POLICE WANT DRUG LAW STRENGTHENED

The Chief of the Anti Drug Section at the Liberian National Police
(LNP), Col. Embra J.C. Harmon has stressed the need for the Liberian
Government to strengthen the country's drug law in order to curtail
the influx of drugs in the country.

He observed that current law on drug is weak as such, drug dealers
take advantage of the weakness to import dangerous drugs in the country.

The Police Chief of Anti Drug expressed disappointment over the
arrest of alleged drug dealers who are later released without going
through the due process of law.

Col. Harmon spoke Monday at a program marking the celebration of
International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking of
Controlled Substances at the Ministry of Gender and Development in Monrovia.

He noted that due to the bailable nature of the drug law, dealers are
not afraid to illegally import drug adding, "they know that if they
are arrested and turned over to the court, they would be released on bail."

The Anti Drug Chief called on government to revisit the drug law or
else drug dealers would continue to import dangerous drugs in the country.

He claimed that most of the dangerous drugs presently in the country
originate from Nigeria but said that Nimba, Lofa and Bong Counties
are noted to be producers of marijuana.

The Executive Director of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Col.
James B. Jallah wants the government to assist his agency with
logistics to effectively carry out its mandate.

He said in the absence of logistics, DEA becomes incapable to curb
the influx of drug in the country. When the logistics are provided it
would help his institution to combat the influx of dangerous drug in Liberia.

At the same time, Col. Jallah called on the Ministry of Justice to
help DEA deploy agents at major entry points of Liberia including the
Roberts International Airport (RIA) and the National Port Authority
(NPA) to curb the importation of dangerous drugs into Liberia.