Nationwide Anti-Drug Offensive Yields 52 Convictions, TOCU Reports

The Transnational Organised Crime Unit (TOCU) has reported a major success in Sierra Leone’s fight against drug trafficking and organised crime, securing 52 convictions nationwide as part of a coordinated enforcement offensive.

According to official figures updated to 27 January 2026, the Western Area recorded 36 convictions, the Eastern Region (Kenema) six, the North-West (Port Loko) six, and the Southern Region (Bo) four. In addition, 18 cases are still pending before the High Court.

The Judiciary has imposed substantial custodial sentences, including a 40-year term in major Kush trafficking cases, as well as 30, 31, 25, 15, and 10-year sentences. Several offenders received concurrent sentences for multiple offences, highlighting the courts’ firm approach toward repeat and large-scale criminal operators.

TOCU-led enforcement operations resulted in the seizure of hundreds of wraps and sachets of Kush, hundreds of Tramadol tablets, and significant quantities of cocaine and cannabis. Operations extended beyond Freetown to Kenema, Port Loko, Bo, Makeni, the Mile 91 corridor, and strategic border checkpoints, including Lungi.

“Drug trafficking is no longer treated as a minor offence but as a serious threat to national security,” a TOCU spokesperson said. “We are dismantling distribution networks and ensuring that investigations translate directly into High Court convictions.”

The government’s nationwide anti-drug strategy aims to protect young people from the dangers of narcotics, disrupt transnational criminal networks, and strengthen Sierra Leone’s international reputation in combating organised crime.