Liberia's justice ministry confirmed that former Vice‑President Jewel Howard‑Taylor was charged with drug trafficking, money laundering, and a range of other offences.
Howard‑Taylor, who served from 2018 to 2024, was detained before boarding a flight at Monrovia's Roberts International Airport.
She has yet to make any public comment about the charges.
The West African country has launched a major crackdown against trans‑national drug trades, especially cocaine, in recent years.
Howard‑Taylor is accused of illegally importing, selling and transporting controlled drugs and facilitating trafficking.
Police have charged three foreign nationals – two Croatians and one Ukrainian – in absentia as part of the investigation.
She held a senior role in former President George Weah's administration, which was marked by repeated corruption allegations.
President Joseph Boakai, who followed Weah, pledged to crack down on corruption and resist trafficker influence.
West Africa increasingly serves as a transit route for cocaine from South America to Europe, raising regional security concerns.
