By Kandeh Sesay
Sierra Leone has emerged as a major transit hub in the global cocaine trade, with increasing evidence that drug cartels have infiltrated the country’s state institutions. A report by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs warns of the worsening crisis, stating:”Drug trafficking and money laundering remain prevalent, with Sierra Leone serving as a transshipment point from South America and Asia to Europe and, to a lesser extent, the United States. Corruption is a pervasive problem that compromises citizen access to basic public services and institutions such as health, education, and the police. The criminal justice system is inefficient and backlogged.”More alarming is the mounting evidence that criminal networks have gained influence within key sectors of governance and security, allowing Sierra Leone to become a central player in the international drug trade.According to the World Drug Report 2023, Sierra Leone is one of eight African nations increasingly linked to the international cocaine trade. This was underscored when Belgian authorities seized six tonnes of cocaine traced back to Sierra Leone earlier this year—the second-largest drug bust in their ports.West African maritime routes continue to be exploited by traffickers. One of the most significant interceptions occurred in November 2022, when the French Navy, in collaboration with U.S., UK, and Brazilian law enforcement agencies, seized over 4.6 tonnes of cocaine from a Brazilian vessel 400 miles off Sierra Leone’s coast. The illicit cargo, valued at €150 million (US$157.8 million), could have generated £300 million (US$366.4 million) in the UK.Sierra Leone’s ties to global cocaine smuggling have been further exposed through multiple arrests across different continents:January 9, 2025 (Philippines): Joy Gulmatico, a 29-year-old Filipina, was caught attempting to smuggle 4.57 kg of cocaine worth $416,240 at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport. She had traveled from Sierra Leone via Ethiopia.January 17, 2025 (India): Mumbai authorities arrested Senegalese national Thoma Mendy with 2.6 kg of cocaine valued at $3 million. He admitted receiving the drugs at a hotel in Sierra Leone before beginning his journey.February 8, 2025 (Liberia): Authorities seized 234 kg of cocaine at Bo Waterside, a key border crossing with Sierra Leone.May 2022 (Burkina Faso): A shipment of 115 kg of cocaine was intercepted in a vehicle that had originated in Sierra Leone before passing through Guinea, Mali, and Ghana.Sierra Leone’s involvement in international drug trafficking was further highlighted in June 2022, when the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) uncovered a Merseyside-based cartel smuggling 1.3 tonnes of cocaine worth £140 million into Britain. The drugs were concealed in a shipment of garri flour from Freetown. The cartel’s ringleader, Darren Schofield—also known as “Thor”—was sentenced along with his gang to a combined 75 years in prison in December 2024.On January 17, 2025, Sierra Leone was at the center of a diplomatic scandal when Guinean authorities discovered suitcases filled with cocaine in a Sierra Leonean embassy vehicle. The discovery has raised pressing concerns about the abuse of diplomatic privileges in drug smuggling operations and potential state complicity in narcotics trafficking.A report by Africa Confidential has revealed disturbing allegations that Sierra Leone’s political elite may be directly involved in drug trafficking. The investigation, titled “President Bio Keeps Cocaine Lord in the Family,” exposes the influence of Dutch cocaine kingpin Jos Leijdekkers, also known as Chubby Jos or Omar Sheriff, within Sierra Leone’s government and security institutions.Leijdekkers is reportedly in a personal relationship with Agnes Bio, the daughter of President Julius Maada Bio. She currently holds a diplomatic post at Sierra Leone’s Permanent Mission to the UN in New York, a role that grants her diplomatic immunity. This has fueled speculation that cartel operatives may be exploiting diplomatic cover to further their smuggling operations.With mounting evidence of high-level corruption and cartel infiltration, Sierra Leone stands at a critical juncture. The nation’s increasing role as a global drug transit point threatens its governance, security, and international reputation. Unless urgent action is taken to dismantle these criminal networks, the country risks further descent into a narco-state where drug cartels dictate state affairs.U.S. Embassy Freetown, Sierra Leone Newspaper #sierraleonenews
