By: Andrew Chokpeleh
Freetown, 10th December 2025- There have been many instances where individuals involved in illegal activities, including drug peddling, are found with Sierra Leonean passports and other documents linking them to the country, even though some of them are foreign nationals.
However, this time, the head of the Transnational Organized Crime Unit, Michael J. K. Lagga, announced the arrest of a man named Musa Koroma with some dried leaves suspected to be marijuana. Lagga stated that Koroma was apprehended at the Freetown International Airport while attempting to leave the country, and he was found in possession of a British passport.
The fight against drugs has become so serious that the police are now conducting unannounced raids, and often they discover contraband substances in the possession of individuals whom society typically regards as “saints.” The arrest of Musa Koroma, who holds a British passport, demonstrates that it is not only Sierra Leonean passports and national documents that people use to commit crimes.
Lagga further reported the arrest of Allieu Jagitay and Mohamed Jagitay with three cartons of tablets and twenty-three other gross quantities of tablets suspected to be tramadol. He said the substances have been sent to the laboratory for testing and analysis to assist the police with their investigations. In addition, Mohamed Fornah was arrested with four parcels of dried leaves suspected to be kush.
Lagga emphasized their commitment to combating drugs and other contraband substances in the country, as this menace poses a serious threat to the mental and social wellbeing of many young people. He noted that the more raids they conduct and the more arrests they make for suspected contraband substances, the more individuals seem to become involved in drug peddling.
He also shared details about the number of raids conducted within the past week. So far, they have carried out 218 raids, charged one suspect to court, sent 43 suspects to the Transnational Organized Crime Unit for further investigation, are investigating 61 cases, warned and released 24 individuals, and sent one case to the Criminal Investigations Department. In many instances, the police issue warnings and release individuals, especially when the Law Officers Department advises that the offence does not meet the threshold required for the police to charge the case to court.
