As if the rampant abuse and the attendant social malaise the Kush narcotic drug has wrought in this country is not already enough, recent reports of cocaine trafficking in Sierra Leone have not only alarmed decent people in this country but also drawn international attention, threatening the international standing and good name of Sierra Leone.
Since this current Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) regime assumed power, the kush narcotic drug problem has had far-reaching social problems that have mainly affected youths in this country. But the recent cocaine scandal involving the Sierra Leone Embassy in neighboring Guinea, the arrest of five Sierra Leoneans in Senegal for cocaine smuggling; and now the suspected presence of a notorious Dutch drug lord and convict in Sierra Leone, Jos Leijdekkers, who has been seen around the powers-that-be, have all further put this country in a bad narcotic drug-abuse and trafficking light.
If reputable international news outlets- Reuters, Aljazeera and BBC- alerted the world on a fugitive that has been convicted hiding in Sierra Leone, and seen around the Presidency, eyebrows are sure to be raised regarding whether state functionaries are those behind the illegal narcotic drug roaring trade in and outside Sierra Leone.
Photos and video evidences showing a young white male seen mainly around the President and some family members have caused those concerned to at least pay attention to what has been reported on a drug-dealing and trafficking fugitive being in Sierra Leone.
Denying that the convicted Dutch drug dealer is not in this country is not logical as the concerned authorities cannot be readily certain if he is here or not; rather, they should try to shed light on this foreigner who has been photographed or filmed mainly near Presidential circles.
Considering the not-so-convincing denial of the concerned authorities, this country risks being branded a ‘narco-state’ if the concerned authorities don’t identify the person suspected to be the notorious Dutch drug lord.
Other cocaine trafficking reports have been linked to this country, lending credence to reports that Sierra Leone is fast becoming a transit for cocaine trafficking, if not already a hub.
Efforts to curb the abuse of the kush drug is still far from effective, the recent cocaine scandal hitting this nation only making matters worse that this country is becoming a drug haven not only locally but also for international trafficking purposes.
The rampant sale and abuse of kush, and now the cocaine scandal that has hit this nation, have given this country a bad name that is not going away any time soon if drastic steps are not taken to tackle the narcotic drug abuse and trade.
