‘Prosecute DEA Commander’ -Fmr Aspirant On Missing Gold Scandal

By Moses J. Dawoe
/Southeast Correspondent
Former representative aspirant of Pleebo-Sodoken District, T. Ronaldo Taylor, has called on the Ministry of Justice to prosecute Sergeant Moses Birr, a commander of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) in Maryland County, for his alleged involvement in a gold theft scandal.
Speaking during a live interview on a local radio station on April 11, 2025, Taylor accused Sgt. Birr of mishandling a court-sanctioned search and seizure operation and of being linked to the disappearance of gold allegedly seized from a resident identified as Joe Bloe of Barrobo.
Taylor explained that on March 22, 2025, Sgt. Birr obtained a warrant from the Karloken Magisterial Court to search for and seize narcotic drugs in Barrobo District.
However, the former aspirant alleged that the operation was carried out unlawfully and that critical evidence—namely, the seized gold—was never properly accounted for.
According to Taylor, the LDEA officer reportedly received L$80,000 in exchange for the return of the seized gold and other items, an act he said constitutes gross misconduct and corruption.
He estimated the value of the gold in question to be nearly half a million Liberian dollars, citing the prevailing market rate of L$17,000 per gram and indicating that 24.3 grams were allegedly taken from the victim.
“The quantity of gold reported to the court doesn’t match what was actually confiscated,” Taylor asserted, calling for an immediate and impartial investigation into the matter to restore public confidence in law enforcement agencies.
He also criticized the LDEA for overstepping its mandate, stating that the agency is only empowered to deal with drug-related offenses, while issues concerning minerals and mining fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Mines and Energy.
Taylor warned that systemic weaknesses in Liberia’s institutions have created opportunities for abuse by law enforcement personnel.
“We don’t have systems in this country,” he said. “That’s what allows security officers to carry out criminal acts while in uniform.”
He urged that all officers involved in the March 22 operation be held accountable and face the full weight of the law.
“That’s complete criminal behavior by the LDEA commander and the other officers who were involved,” Taylor charged.
Unless the government has officially banned the purchase and sale of gold, he said, the actions of the LDEA in this case raise serious legal questions.
Meanwhile, Taylor has challenged current Pleebo-Sodoken District Representative Anthony F. Williams to publicly disclose the names of the 100 staffers he claims are on his supplementary payroll.