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By Lincoln G. Peters
Monrovia, July 14, 2026 – Monrovia City Court Magistrate Ben Barco has reserved ruling in the preliminary hearing regarding the US$19.2 million drug seizure at Roberts International Airport by the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency.
During the final arguments in the cocaine trafficking case on Monday, both the prosecution and defense presented their cases regarding the alleged shipment of illegal drugs destined for England.
The prosecution stated that physical cocaine, the seized consignment, a receipt for US$2,150 in shipping fees, the defendant’s statement, and statements from security personnel were presented as evidence.
State lawyers argued that the defendant, Paul King, was directly connected to the shipment and had allegedly negotiated with individuals following the discovery of the drugs.
According to the prosecution, evidence indicated that several similar shipments had previously left the country before authorities intercepted the latest consignment. Prosecutors further alleged that the shipment was linked to a drug trafficking network and that “Maggi cubes and Lappa” were used to conceal the cocaine.
The State argued that two witnesses were produced at the preliminary hearing and the legal requirements to establish probable cause had been met.
Prosecutors alleged that King informed a business associate, Arthur Abdullah, of a consignment that was to be shipped to England, and instructed him to send two workers to collect the package from King’s residence.
The court heard that when the workers arrived, the household cook contacted King to verify the collection. King allegedly instructed the cook to release the consignment and US$2,150 to the collectors.
Before the shipment was dispatched, a routine inspection was conducted in the presence of representatives. Officials allegedly discovered suspicious contents hidden inside packages labeled as Maggi cubes and Lappa. The prosecution claimed that King was contacted and instructed those involved to negotiate with security personnel. When no agreement was reached, authorities from the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) were informed, leading to the seizure.
The defense maintained that King is innocent. Defense lawyers stated that King was in the United States when a customer contacted him about shipping goods. They argued that King only directed the customer to his residence to collect the package and had no knowledge of illegal drugs in the consignment.
Defense lawyers also stated that Brown had previously sent packages through the same shipping process in 2024, none of which contained narcotics. They argued that this history showed King had no reason to suspect the latest consignment contained cocaine.
The defense maintained that King voluntarily cooperated with investigators and insisted the prosecution had failed to establish probable cause linking him to the drugs.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the magistrate reserved ruling in the case and scheduled Wednesday, July 14, 2026, for the decision in the preliminary hearing.
