By Sulaiman Jalloh
The Sierra Leone police (SLP) has intensified its nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking and abuse, resulting in the arrest of 130 suspects and the seizure of significant quantities of suspected narcotic substances.
The announcement was made during a police press briefing held on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at the senior police officers’ mess in Kingtom, Freetown.
Chief superintendent of police (CSP) Michael J. K. Laggah, head of the transnational organised crime unit (TOCU), provided detailed updates on the operations, speaking at the same event, assistant inspector general (AIG) Dr. John Martin Senesie said the coordinated raids and checkpoint operations conducted between October 20 and 26, 2025 formed part of an ongoing national campaign to dismantle drug networks and bring traffickers to justice.
He emphasized that the SLP’s strategy combines robust enforcement with community engagement, stressing that while arrests and prosecutions are crucial, public education and collaboration remain equally vital in combating the growing menace of drug abuse.
According to AIG Senesie, the operations yielded notable results, including the following arrests, Kadiatu Barrie arrested in Makeni with 55 tablets of tramadol and 25 wraps of suspected Kush.
Abdul Akim Bangura arrested at Rogbere police checkpoint, Kambia District, with 1,327 strips of suspected Tramadol, Laurencia Kollie, a Guinean national arrested at the Jendema customs police checkpoint, Pujehun district, with 91 pellets of suspected cocaine.
Ibrahim Kamara and Marie Keita arrested in Makeni following a major Kush seizure, police confirmed that all cases are currently awaiting legal advice and forensic analysis.
Data presented at the briefing indicated that 174 drug-related raids were conducted nationwide during the reporting period, of the 130 arrests, 51 suspects have been charged to court, while 79 remain under investigation.
AIG Senesie commended the officers involved in the successful operations and reaffirmed the SLP’s unwavering commitment to sustaining the fight against drug trafficking and abuse through both “hard and soft approaches.
The hard approach focuses on detection, arrest, investigation, and prosecution, while the soft approach emphasizes community sensitization, public education, and media engagement, he explained.
The Sierra Leone Police has called on the public to report drug-related activities within their communities and to support ongoing law enforcement efforts aimed at safeguarding public health and national security.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Friday, 31st October 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
