— As LDEA Official Gives Conflicting Accounts
George Abujaodi and Bilal Ibrahim are once more entangled in another busted cocaine swap at the Freeport of Monrovia.
According to IPNEWS findings late Monday night at the Freeport of Monrovia, customs officers impounded a container containing 179 packs of unprocessed cocaine with a street value of about US$40 million.
Sources tell IPNEWS that one container (marked MNBU4204747) out of the total number of 30 containers brought into the country by TRH Trading Corporation, the largest importer of frozen foods in Liberia, contained a total of 197 packs of cocaine narcotics, contrary to earlier reports that there were 11 packs found in the seized container.
Late Monday evening IPNEWS gathered from multiple sources on the seizure of the marked MNBU4204747 with frozen products manufactured by BRF, the Brazil Frozen Food company to which the George Abujaodi, TRH Trading Corporation have been receiving frozen food supplies from over the last five years, according to an inside source.
The drugs seizure Monday marks the second time in as many months that TRH Trading has brought to the attention of authorities, attempts by drug smugglers to infiltrate the system in Liberia.
In December 2022, the Government of Liberia, arrested and charged with money laundering, illegal possession of drugs, illegal importation of drugs, and criminal conspiracy, in connection with the infamous US$100 million cocaine burst in 2022.
Those currently in detention awaiting a jury trial expected to commence on February 14, 2023, include a Guinea-Bissauan national identified as Malam Conte, Lebanese national Issa Mekki, a Portuguese Gustavo Henrique, and Brazilian Adulai Djibril, while a Liberian identified as Oliver Zazay.
Subsequently, on Thursday, December 22, 2022, defendants in US$100M multiple money laundering crimes pleaded ‘not guilty’ but vehemently rejected the charges and pleaded innocent to the charges when they appeared before Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice.
Flashback: The first defenders of the US$100 million cocaine are currently on trial
Strange Occurrence
To the disbelief of IPNEWS news team, contrary to the Mendex Group policy of destination inspection which discharges containers at the importer’s destination, the container marked MNBU4204747 allegedly containing the 179 packs of unprocessed cocaine was discharged at the Freeport of Monrovia sparking controversies over Deputy Director General for Operations of the LDEA, Lorenzo Pelham, Jerry Diah, Senior Collector at the Freeport of Monrovia, and Director of the Liberia Seaport Police, Logan Davies, attempts to protect TRH Trading.
It may be recalled, the officials of the government expressed satisfaction over the role TRH Trading played in alerting authorities to multiple attempts by drug smugglers to infiltrate Liberia with narcotics.
The statements made by the officials have further questioned the impartialness of the cocaine burst, an investigator narrates to IPNEWS.
Jerry Diah, Senior Collector at the Freeport of Monrovia, said it best: “The seizure of these drugs (cocaine) is the result of coordinated efforts, especially a tip-off we (security agencies) had gotten from TRH. The company had raised suspicion about a container that had berthed at the Freeport and wanted the police to search it.”
Logan Davies, Director of the Liberia Seaport Police also commended the efforts of TRH in seizing the narcotics.
Lorenzo Pelham, the Deputy Director General for Operations of the LDEA, described the seizure of the drugs as “another historical blow” to the drug cartels and a strong warning that they will all go down if they fail to realize that the game has changed. “The suspected container was thoroughly searched by a combined team of LSP, the LDEA, and a team from TRH Company. Our efforts of the search team were rewarded when 11 packs of cocaine were found,” Pelham noted. The role played by TRH in these two busts clearly illustrates that the company has been a victim in all of this.”
Lingering Questions
In the wake of this 40 million cocaine burst, there remain lingering questions as to why the LDEA, including other government functionaries, National Security Agency-NSA, reneged on inviting the United States Embassy near Monrovia, as was done during the burst of the 100 million cocaine.
Other questions still remain unanswered why was one container discharged at the Freeport of Monrovia, and not all the thirty (30) containers that were brought into the country by TRH Trading Company?
An additional public concern that remains is how was TRH Trading Company aware of a specific container to have contained the 197 packs of cocaine before it provided security authorities with information leading to the burst.
Flashback on the 100 Million Busted Cocaine
In October 2022, SONIT LIBERIA INC, another frozen food company owned by George Abujaodi and Bilal Ibrahim, was found to be in connection with the 100 million busted cocaine which was confiscated by the government of Liberia.
The consignment of the cocaine drug was in transit from South America (Brazil) to an unknown destination following a tipoff from the American Government that the huge consignment was transiting through Liberia, which led to the receiver being arrested and the consignment seized at a leased cold-storage facility of SONIT Liberia Inc., in Topoe Village Community, along the Japan Freeway.
In the process of seizing the huge cocaine consignment, the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency LDEA and the National Security Agency (NSA), also apprehended Guinea-Bissauan national identified as Malam Conte, Lebanese national identified as Issa Mekki, the Portuguese Gustavo Henrique, and Brazilian Adulai Djibril, while the LDEA is said to pursuing other suspects in connection to the crime.
The investigation also linked the AJA-Group Holding, and the Fresh Frozen Food Inc., the TRH Trading Incorporated, under AJA-Group Holding group as alleged key drug trafficking syndicates, under the spotlight.
SONIT Liberia Inc., the Frozen Food Company in Topoe Village, the place where the huge narcotics substances, were seized earlier denied their involvement in transiting the huge consignment to Liberia.
According to investigation, a guy who asked for anonymity, had informed Investigators that SONIT Liberia Inc., the place where the arrest was made, is a French frozen food company, that had challenges with their business and had not be operating, which prompted the management to have rented their facility to TRH Trading Corporation that is said to be under the management of Mr. Bilal Ibrahim.
In their Press release, the company said in documentation in the possession of this outlet that it has ceased its operations in Liberia for the past two years and no longer carries out any business activity in Liberia, and had rented its facility to the TRH Trading Corporation, with documentation bearing signatory notifications by the two companies.
“This is to inform you that SONIT Liberia Inc., has ceased its operations for the past two years and no longer carries out any business activity in Monrovia/Liberia, Consequently, our offices in Monrovia have been closed since 2021 and our cold stores located in Monrovia have been rented out effectively from the 1st day of October 2021 to TRH TRADING CORPORATION,” the released said.
“Take notice that the cold stores and the cargoes related to it are solely under the management of TRH TRADING CORPORATION,” the release added.
Speaking further in Conversation with a local daily The New Dawn, Hassan Saadé, CEO of SONIT Liberia, sincerely apologized that the integrity of SONIT Liberia Inc., is mentioned in such a criminal saga, adding “We sincerely hope that this statement will put to rest the motivated, malicious and false propaganda being run against SONET Liberia.”
Documents later revealed that SONIT Liberia Inc., represented by Hassan Hadi Saadé, signed the corporative rental agreement between SONIT Liberia Inc., and TRH Trading Corporation represented by its CEO Mr. Bilal Ibrahim, both signed the corporative rental Contract of the SONIT Liberia’s Cold Storage Facility in Topoe Village, Japan Freeway.
In the Rental agreement involving SONIT Liberia, Infrastructure and Equipment at Topoe Village, to TRH Corporation involves six counts,
- A) A landscape covering an area of 5.5 Acre with fence and electric cables for electricity.
- B) A Hanger containing three (3) cold rooms that can store 2,700 tons.
- C) Cold equipment, Compressors and installations which require the operation of cold rooms.
- D) Two generator sets with cooling, 550KVA and the second 33 KVA with its fuel storage tank.
- E) One R +2 Building serving as an apartment and administrative office for all the buildings is fully furnished and equipped in a document seen by this outlet.
Additionally, the agreement period began from 1 October 2021 to 30 September 2022, and the amount of US$22,500.00 is payable in per quarter advance.
Meanwhile, as the search continues for would-be suspects tied to the major drug syndicate that led to the burst operation that took place in Monrovia, recently, the TRH Trading Corporation has been alleged as suspects involved in the transiting of the recent 100 Million dollars drug bust with the suspects being arrested and the cocaine drug subsequently burned by the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA). The seized and burnt cocaine drug, according to the LDEA, is put at 520 km.
The TRH Trading Corporation, which originated from Hungary, Europe, and is situated on Jamaica road, Bushrod Island, Monrovia, with several sub-branches, across Liberia, has been allegedly accused as the main syndicate that led to the recent drug bust.
A local daily, the New Dawn’s investigation tipoff, with documents in their possession, put TRH Trading Corporation, under the supervision of AJA holding group as an alleged importer of the huge consignment of cocaine in Liberia.
In a news conference, on Tuesday, the President of the Customs Brokers Association of Liberia James Hinneh, also accused the TRH Trading Corporation as the Importers of the consignment and blamed the Ministry of Commerce for allegedly aiding the process.
According to Hinneh, the Bill of Landing document reviewed by this outlet which validates the specific owner of a particular consignment or container including the CTN certificate as well as the invoice from APM Terminal all proves that the consignment was brought into the Country by TRH.
