In a recent interview with the Liberia News Agency, Walo said delays, which often result to loss of fruit of crimes before prosecution, are some causes of the state losing drug cases.

He added that instead of acting on arrest and charges of illegal drug possession and smuggling promptly, lawyers usually plead the accused rights to bail, only to see the perpetrators go free and return to the streets to continue their criminal acts.

“This act paints the DEA and its back-up forces, the Liberia National Police, ugly in the eyes of the public as being weak,, while drug users see us as useless and their enemy, on the other,” he said.

Added Walo: “If only these people can be brought before a court of competent jurisdiction and convicted where there is sufficient evidence, the act will be reduced and curtailed with fear on the part of illegal drugs users, on one hand, and respect for security forces by the public, on the other.”

The DEA official blamed the erosion of public confidence in drug cases handling to lack of will on the part of those who should prosecute, stressing that this is one reason for the increase and growth of “drug empires” in the county with impunity.

LINA CTN/JGT/PTK