Freetown, 29th October 2025– The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) has announced the arrest of 130 suspects and the seizure of large quantities of suspected narcotics in a sweeping nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking and abuse.
The announcement was made during the SLP’s weekly press briefing at the Senior Police Officers’ Mess in Kingtom, where Chief Superintendent Michael J.K. Laggah of the Transnational Organised Crime Unit (TOCU) detailed the results of coordinated raids and checkpoint operations conducted between October 20 and 26.
According to Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Dr. John Martin Senesie, the operations formed part of an intensified national campaign to dismantle drug supply networks and bring traffickers to justice. “This is not just about arrests,” Senesie said. “It’s about protecting communities, educating the public, and building a safer Sierra Leone.”
Among the high-profile arrests were:
- Kadiatu Barrie, apprehended in Makeni with 55 tablets of Tramadol and 25 wraps of suspected Kush.
- Abdul Akim Bangura, intercepted at Rogbere Checkpoint in Kambia District with a staggering 1,327 strips of suspected Tramadol.
- Laurencia Kollie, a Guinean national, arrested at the Jendema Customs Police Checkpoint in Pujehun District with 91 pellets of suspected cocaine.
- Marie Keita, arrested in Makeni with 200 wraps of suspected Kush, multiple bags of shredded leaves, and an electronic scale.
- Ibrahim Kamara, also arrested in Makeni with 16 wraps of suspected Kush.
Police data revealed that 174 drug raids were conducted nationwide during the reporting period. Of the 130 suspects arrested, 51 have been charged to court, while 79 remain under investigation.
AIG Senesie praised the officers involved and reaffirmed the SLP’s dual strategy in the war on drugs. “Our hard approach involves detection, arrest, investigation, and prosecution,” he explained. “But we also believe in the soft approach, community sensitisation, public education, and media engagement.”
The SLP is urging citizens to remain vigilant and report drug-related activities in their communities. “We cannot win this fight alone,” Senesie said. “We need the public to stand with us in safeguarding health, safety, and the future of our youth.”
The crackdown comes amid growing concern over the spread of synthetic drugs like Kush and the misuse of pharmaceutical substances such as Tramadol, which have been linked to rising addiction rates and social instability across the country.
