By Hassan Osman Kargbo

The Director of Operations of the Sierra Leone Police, Assistant Inspector General of Police – AIG Braima Jah has confirmed to the Press that Anti-drug agencies within the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) had always fight to curtail the serious drug menace facing the country.

According to the Director of Operations, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Trance Organize Committee Unit (TOCU), and SEACOP have over the years aggressively tackled high profile drug related cases, investigates and charged to court.

He noted the Anti-drug agencies mentioned above are faced with mountain of challenges that had largely hindered the full operations of their functions for considerable number of years. He continued that despite all these challenges, the agencies in the SLP have conducted raids, operations, and have lunched lot of investigations and prosecute people who involved in misusing drugs in the country.

He made this statement on the 10 August 2023, at the Police Headquarters, George Street, Freetown.

AIG Jah noted that there are drugs like cannabis, cocaine, Kush and tramadol are regarded as prohibited or strictly regulated in the country.

‘Young people have taken these drugs as their daily food which is really bad for the country’, says AIG.

He stated that the issue of drug is not new but rather the new substances used by the youth as mixture is what is new.

He furthered called on members of the public to work with the SLP to end the drug menace, adding what is more worrisome is that the drugs are being locally mixed using chemicals in the country.

According to the Regional Commander Freetown East, ACP Dr. John Mathew Senesi, Eastern Division, they have been putting things in place to remedy the drug issue.

The Head of Operations, Eastern Division John S. Koroma on the 5 August 2023 said the operations team conducted a raid at Grafton and arrested two suspects in possession of drug and are in custody currently helping the police with investigations.

ASP Koroma added that they also conducted a raid at Waterloo on the 6^th of August 2023, and arrested some youth in possession of drugs.

ASP furthered that they also conducted a raid along Waterloo on 6^th August 2023, where they arrested a notorious thief residing at the Moriba Community, Waterloo and persons with drugs and other harmful materials.

He ended by assuring the people that the SLP remains committed in the business of protecting lives and properties of the country.