Tandeen Fishing Debunks Drug Trafficking Allegations
Tandeen Fishing, a well known company under the Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Administration, has firmly denied any connection to the vessel Agios Bessette, which was recently caught up in a cocaine-trafficking scandal at Hamilton Beach.
In a statement released on Friday 25th July, 2025; the company rejected reports suggesting it owns or operates the Agios Bessette, calling the allegations false and without merit. The vessel came under scrutiny after Sierra Leonean authorities, acting on intelligence reports, discovered an estimated 400 kilograms of cocaine concealed in hidden compartments during a routine inspection last week. The bust is one of the largest maritime drug seizures in Sierra Leone this year and has sparked heightened concern over the use of West African coastal routes by international drug syndicates.
Tandeen Fishing made clear that it has no ownership, affiliation, or operational involvement with the vessel in question. It criticized the reports as misleading and damaging, and called on the public to disregard them. The company said such false accusations not only harm its reputation but also cast unnecessary doubt on the integrity of Sierra Leone’s fishing industry.
The company warned media houses responsible for spreading the claims to retract their stories and issue public apologies, or face legal consequences. It stressed that it operates with professionalism and follows all legal and ethical standards governing the sector.
According to regional maritime experts, the Agios Bessette has previously been flagged by monitoring groups for suspicious port calls along the Gulf of Guinea, a region identified in UNODC reports as a major transit hub for South American cocaine destined for Europe. Sierra Leone’s porous coastal surveillance system has long been exploited by traffickers, prompting calls for improved maritime security infrastructure.
Tandeen Fishing, which operates a fleet of locally registered and licensed fishing vessels, has been a key stakeholder in Sierra Leone’s seafood export industry. The company has been involved in several EU market compliance programs and has worked with the Ministry to enforce vessel monitoring and sustainable fishing practices. It emphasized that its operations are fully traceable, regularly inspected, and in line with national and international maritime laws.
While the Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Administration has not yet issued a formal statement on the matter, the Office of National Security has confirmed that investigations are ongoing and involve collaboration with international drug enforcement agencies. No arrests have been publicly disclosed, and ownership records of the Agios Bessette remain under scrutiny.
As the investigation continues, Tandeen Fishing reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and lawful business practices. The company vowed to take all necessary legal steps to protect its name from what it described as malicious and harmful accusations, urging both the public and the press to be cautious in circulating unverified claims.
