Chief Minister Chairs TOCU Board Meeting on Fight Against Drug Trafficking

Chief Minister David Moinina Sengeh has chaired a meeting of the Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU) Advisory Board, focusing on strengthening efforts to combat drug trafficking and organized crime in Sierra Leone.

The Advisory Board, established under the National Security and Central Intelligence Act, is overseen by the Office of National Security and comprises key security and regulatory institutions.

According to Dr. Sengeh, reports from the Board are submitted to the National Security Council, where he also serves. He said he chaired the latest session as part of government efforts to enhance national responses to transnational organized crime.

Several resolutions were reached during the meeting, including the submission of a comprehensive report detailing TOCU’s activities over the past year. The report covered drug seizures, the destruction of confiscated substances, and collaboration with international partners.

Dr. Sengeh highlighted that substances such as Kush and Tramadol remain major challenges affecting young people in Sierra Leone. He noted that many of these drugs originate from abroad and move through international trafficking networks, requiring stronger global cooperation.

He further stated that Sierra Leone continues to work closely with international partners, including the United States and France, in intelligence sharing and operational support.

On maritime security, the Chief Minister said one of the country’s key challenges remains limited capacity to effectively monitor waters beyond 100 nautical miles. He stressed that within the Gulf of Guinea, criminal networks continue to exploit enforcement gaps across coastal states.

He added that regional cooperation frameworks such as the Mano River Union intelligence system and the ECOWAS WAPIS platform remain critical tools in tackling transnational crime.

Dr. Sengeh assured that security agencies are continuing to deploy available resources to combat criminal activities on land, including drug trafficking and human smuggling.

He cited recent interceptions involving individuals reportedly trafficked from Waterloo to Guinea under false pretences as part of an international trafficking scheme.

The Chief Minister noted that improved enforcement has contributed to increased trade throughput at the Freetown Port while reducing successful criminal activity.

He emphasized that Sierra Leone will not serve as a safe haven for criminals and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to intensifying the fight against transnational organized crime.