Following the Inspector General of Police (IGP) William Fayia Sellu’s compelling address last week in Parliament advocating for stringent measures to counter the proliferation of harmful drugs in Sierra Leone, the police across the thirty-eight (38) administrative divisions in the country have intensified their raids in ghettoes and other hideouts to eradicate harmful drugs with a particular focus on Kush.

On Friday 22nd March 2024, the Local Unit Commander (LUC) of the Congo Cross Division in Freetown, CSP Ahmed Karamoh Kabba, led a team comprising Operations, OSD, IIS, media, FSU and CID in conducting raids within the Congo Cross Division to eradicate harmful drugs. The operations targeted specific areas including Aberdeen Road, New Market, Olorshoro and Cockle Bay.

During the operations, makeshift structures used for illicit drug consumption were dismantled and many youths found in areas where the harmful drugs are sold were apprehended.

While some drug dealers managed to survive the raids, some were however arrested, including Bilkisu Turay, who was caught at the Aberdeen New Market, Casablanca, in possession of a large quantity of substance believed to be Kush, and Alpha Conteh, who was arrested at Olorshoro with four (4) Kush, and makeshift structures dismantled by the police.

The cases were transferred to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at the Congo Cross Police Division where Chief Inspector James Y. Mansaray will oversee further investigation. In Kenema in the Eastern Region, the Sierra Leone Police in collaboration with the Judiciary on Monday 18th March, 2028 burnt a large quantity of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa and Kush at the Law Courts Building in the city.

These drugs were arrested at various crossing points and grey areas within the Eastern Region. Some accused were fined and sentenced while the exhibits were ordered to be destroyed in the view of the general public.

On Wednesday 20th March 2024, a joint operations team comprising General Duties and OSD personnel of the Habour Police Division raided Kanikay, a slum community notorious for hosting criminals, ghettoes, drug dealers and abusers in Cline Town, east end Freetown, and demolished dozens of ghettoes used for drug abuse and other organized criminal activities.

The LUC of Harbour Police Division, CSP Emmanuel Kpulun, warned the operations team to be very professional but firm and uncompromising in the fight against illicit drugs, particularly the deadly Kush.

The Operations Officer, Inspector Alpha Umaru Jalloh, who led the demolition exercise, was applauded by the Kanikay Community for bringing down the ghettoes that have existed in the community for many decades.

Several premises suspected of hosting drug lords were also thoroughly searched, including the popular Yusif Abu Sesay alias DJ Skinny of the Kanikay Community and a large quantity of drugs including Kush was discovered and seized by the operations team.

As the four-hour-long raid on harmful drugs including Kush came to an end in the Kanikay Community, the police entreated members of the public to provide intelligence information that will help in the identification, arrest and prosecution of those involved in the Kush trade.

Meanwhile, similar raids are being conducted in all 38 police administrative divisions nationwide and many arrests have been made while large quantities of harmful drugs including Kush have been seized as exhibits to prosecute defaulters.