In her quest to fight the prevalence of drug abuse and trafficking in the country, the Sierra Leone Police, in collaboration with other security and law enforcement agencies, has on Friday 23rd December, 2022, destroyed dangerous and prohibited narcotic drugs at the Transnational Organised Crime Unit (TOCU) Headquarters, situated within the precinct of the Sierra Leone Peace Keeping and Law Enforcement Academy (SILEA), Hastings Campus.
This destruction of these harmful drugs was done in the public view of stakeholders and law enforcement agencies. These agencies and stakeholders included:
The Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon. David Maurice Panda-Noah, Director of Public Prosecution, Easmon Ngagui Esq., Office of National Security (ONS), Head of TOCU, ACP Alhaji Kelfala Bangura,
National Drugs and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Fourth Estate, amongst others.
The burnt/destroyed drugs included:
👉 135 Kgs. of cannabis sativa.
👉 5 Cartoons of pharmaceutical drugs. (Tapentadol, Hydrochloride Powder)
👉 7 other bundles of dried leaves, 116 packets of cannabis sativa and 7 bale of cannabis sativa that had been in the custody of TOCU.
👉 Over 2,000 cartoons of dangerous pharmaceutical drugs (Tramadol capsules), which were confiscated at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay and stored at the National Revenue Authority’s (NRA) Customs warehouses at Cline Town, Freetown.
The burning of these drugs and harmful substances was meant to serve as a deterrent to other importers and dealers of these dangerous drugs and substances in the country.