Liberia has detained and charged former Vice-President, Jewel Howard-Taylor over alleged involvement in a transnational drug trafficking network linked to a cocaine seizure valued at about $317 million.

Howard-Taylor, 63, was arrested on Wednesday at Roberts International Airport in Monrovia while attempting to leave the country, according to the Liberian Justice Ministry.

Liberia’s Police Chief, Gregory Coleman, linked the former vice-president to the investigation following the seizure of the cocaine last month. Howard-Taylor has not publicly responded to the allegations, while her lawyer said he could not comment until she formally appeared in court.

The former vice-president is facing several charges, including unlawful importation, sale and transportation of controlled drugs, illicit trafficking, criminal solicitation and criminal facilitation, alongside allegations of money laundering.

Three foreign nationals — two Croatians and a Ukrainian — have also been charged in absentia over alleged connections to the same network. Justice Minister Oswald Tweh said the government would employ both domestic and international measures to track down and arrest the suspects.

The investigation is part of an intensified crackdown on narcotics trafficking in Liberia following two major cocaine seizures in June and July.

Authorities seized nearly four tonnes of cocaine in July, which they said was destined for Europe. The seizure was described by Liberian officials as the country’s largest drug bust.

The investigation has since widened to include senior security officials as authorities attempt to identify individuals allegedly involved in trafficking, financing and organising the operation, as well as those accused of providing protection to the network.

The government said the investigation would be conducted without regard to political influence or official status, declaring that “no office is too high, no political connection is too powerful” and that no individual would be beyond the reach of the law.

Howard-Taylor became prominent in Liberian politics following the departure of her former husband, Charles Taylor, who served as president from 1997 to 2003.

Charles Taylor, a former rebel leader, was later convicted by a UN-backed tribunal for aiding and abetting rebels during Sierra Leone’s civil war.

In 2017, George Weah selected Jewel Howard-Taylor as his running mate. She subsequently served as Liberia’s vice-president from 2018 to 2024.

The latest case marks a major development in Liberia’s expanding anti-narcotics campaign, with authorities continuing efforts to uncover the full structure and international reach of the alleged cocaine network.