[Published: Wednesday June 02 2010]
Liberia deports seven to US on cocaine charges
Monrovia, 02 June-(ANA)-Liberia has deported seven people to the US after they were arrested for allegedly trying to ship 4,000kg of cocaine there, the goverment says.
The suspects are accused of trying to bribe top Liberian officials to protect large cocaine shipments "since 2007".
The men have now been charged by prosecutors in New York with conspiracy to import cocaine.
In recent years West Africa has become a transit point for drugs en route from South America to Europe and the US.
Liberia's Solicitor-General Watkins Wrights read out a government statement, saying that the seven men were from Russia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Ghana.
He said they had tried smuggle the cocaine, with a street value of $100m (£68m), from Colombia.
"Liberia is closed for business to the narcotics trade," Mr Wrights said.(ANA)
FA/ANA/02 June 2010------- |