Security Forces Arrest US-Based Man with Over 1,200 Tramadol Cards in Kambia

Security officers at the Rogberay Joint Security Checkpoint in Gbileh Chiefdom, Kambia District, have arrested a 27-year-old man, Abdul Akim Bangura, found in possession of a large quantity of suspected Tramadol tablets.

Bangura, a Sierra Leonean reportedly residing in the United States but currently living in Allen Town, Freetown, was stopped on Wednesday, 22nd October 2025, during a routine stop-and-search operation carried out by the Local Unit Commander and joint security forces at the checkpoint.

Authorities discovered 1,287 cards containing 250-milligram Tramadol tablets, along with two cups filled with red tablets believed to be of the same dosage. Bangura was immediately taken into custody, and the case is under active investigation by the Sierra Leone Police to trace the source and intended destination of the drugs.

This arrest forms part of ongoing efforts by the Sierra Leone Police and other security agencies to clamp down on the smuggling of illegal substances, including Kush, Tramadol, Cocaine, and Cannabis Sativa, across the country’s borders. Authorities say these operations aim to protect public health and safety while strengthening border security to curb the flow of harmful drugs.