By Hassan Osman Kargbo
The Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU) has announced the arrest of a Sierra Leonean man found in possession of a British passport and suspected marijuana while attempting to leave the country through the Freetown International Airport. The arrest highlights what authorities describe as a growing trend in which individuals involved in illegal drug activities use both foreign and Sierra Leonean identification documents.
Head of TOCU, Michael J. K. Lagga, confirmed that the suspect, identified as Musa Koroma, was apprehended with dried leaves believed to be marijuana. Lagga said the arrest challenges the public perception that only Sierra Leonean documents are used by offenders in cross border criminal activities. “This case shows that people use all kinds of documents to commit crimes, not only Sierra Leonean passports,” he noted.
Lagga further disclosed a series of other arrests linked to drug possession and trafficking. Among them were Allieu Jagitay and Mohamed Jagitay, who were found with three cartons of tablets and twenty three gross quantities of tablets suspected to be tramadol. The substances have been sent to the laboratory for scientific testing and confirmation to support ongoing investigations.
In a separate operation, police also arrested Mohamed Fornah with four parcels of dried leaves suspected to be kush. These arrests form part of intensified efforts by law enforcement agencies to curb drug abuse and trafficking, a challenge that continues to impact the country’s youth and social fabric.
Lagga explained that the fight against drugs has become increasingly urgent as more young people fall victim to substance abuse, especially kush and other synthetic drugs. He said the police have intensified unannounced raids across the country because these substances pose serious risks to mental health, community safety, and national development. “The more raids we conduct, the more individuals we find getting involved in drug peddling,” he said, describing the trend as worrying.
Providing an update on recent operations, Lagga revealed that police conducted 218 raids within the past week alone. Out of these operations, one suspect was charged to court, while 43 others were sent to TOCU for deeper investigation. Sixty one cases remain under active investigation, 24 individuals were warned and released, and one case was transferred to the Criminal Investigations Department.
Lagga explained that in many instances, suspects are released after warnings based on legal advice from the Law Officers Department. According to him, some cases do not meet the legal threshold required for prosecution, which prevents the police from charging them to court. However, he stressed that this does not diminish the seriousness of the police’s commitment to tackling drug related offences.
He reassured the public that the police will continue to pursue drug dealers and traffickers relentlessly. “We remain committed to protecting the wellbeing of society, especially young people who are most affected by drug abuse,” Lagga said.
The series of arrests and heightened enforcement efforts signal the police’s determination to curb the flow of drugs and contraband substances across Sierra Leone, even as authorities acknowledge that the battle remains challenging.
