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OO RUEHPA
DE RUEHMV #0103 0361310
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O 051310Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY MONROVIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9722
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L MONROVIA 000103 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR DS/IP/AF AND AFW 
LAGOS ALSO FOR DEA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2018 
TAGS: SNAR PGOV ASEC LI
SUBJECT: "BLUE ATLANTIC" COCAINE DESTROYED 
 
REF: MONROVIA 100 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Donald E. Booth for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1. (C) Minister of Justice Philip A.Z. Banks told Ambassador 
February 4 that he personally oversaw the destruction of the 
cocaine February 1 seized from the merchant vessel "Blue 
Atlantic" (reftel).  While he admitted that the destruction 
process was initially inefficient and hazardous, he was 
satisfied that all the cocaine, except a small amount saved 
as evidence, was destroyed and none slipped out into the 
streets of Monrovia. 
 
¶2. (C) The minister said it was his decision to destroy the 
cocaine on the dock rather than take it out to sea as UNMIL 
(and we) advised, because he wanted the operation to take 
place in front of international observers and the press, so 
there would be no question as to what happened to the 
cocaine.  GOL officials at first dissolved the cocaine into 
buckets of water before throwing the mixture in the sea, but 
after two and a half hours, only two of the 92 barrels were 
destroyed.  The UN did not wish to guard the cocaine 
overnight (an UNMIL officer told the minister that he "could 
not even trust his own men") so the Liberians opted to burn 
the remaining 90 barrels in order to speed up the process. 
In fact, the Liberians brought in power saws to open the 
barrels more quickly.  All the cocaine was in flames by 10:00 
pm, although he waited through the night because he "wanted 
to see the ashes." 
 
¶3. (C) The minister noted that the operation was poorly 
planned and unduly hazardous.  The teams did not have proper 
equipment, not even the officials on hand from the Liberian 
EPA. 
 
¶4. (C) Minister Banks said that all nine Ghanaian seamen are 
in Liberian custody and will be tried in Liberia.  While the 
French had already tested the cocaine, the GOL made its own 
tests to be used in the trial. 
 
¶5. (C) Comment:  Minister Banks' account tracks closely with 
an UNMIL report obtained by Embassy personnel (septel) which 
noted that UNMIL police units observed the operation closely 
to ensure that all cocaine and by-products were properly 
destroyed.  The Liberians did their best under difficult 
circumstances to demonstrate that the cocaine was destroyed. 
Booth