Is Ports and Harbours Authority Failing In The Fight Against Drugs?

By Lansana Fofanah

For years now, Sierra Leone continues to be a major focus of international drug investigations and reports.

A recent report in March this year by the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC), named the country as a key route in the trans-shipment of cocaine from Latin America to Europe in West Africa.

While the government is yet to respond to such a damning report, it becomes worrisome as to how committed every sector in the country is in the fight against illicit and harmful drugs.

A 2025 report by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, also highlighted the country as a transshipment point from South America/Asia to Europe.

Demonstrating his government’s commitments in the fight against drugs in 2024, His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio declared the National Emergency on Drugs and Substance Abuse, showing the devastating impact of Kush and other illegal substances on the youthful population in the country, and the need to combat it.

The declaration was not only meant to respond to victims of the drug abuse, but to also tackle the flow of the drug trade root branch by targeting those selling and importing the drug in the country.

After a year of that declaration, the series of security breaches at the country’s main port of entry; the Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority remains to be a major concern.

The interception of four containers in March this year, containing the harmful tramadol tablets by security apparatus after it was believed that they had undergone every due diligence and were about to hit the streets, shows how the Ports and Harbours have been complacent when it comes to security measures.

In November 2025, the Nigerian Custom officers impounded a cocaine shipment worth $20 Million dollars believed to come from Sierra Leone’s Ports and Harbours Authority.

That allegation whether it is proven to be true or not, has a lot to undermine any effort in the fight against drugs, and will also put the country’s image on the spotlight.

While there are several companies operating at the ports in various capacities, the mandate of the Authority to oversee their operations is paramount.

Any compromise of such mandate is detriment to the peace and security of the country. And the big blame will have to fall on the government as a whole.

With the proliferation of drugs entering the country through the Ports and Harbours when there is a government bans on such, one is equally tempted to ask if the privatization of some security functions to foreigners in the Ports in necessary especially when it has to do with the country’s security image.

Or those responsible to do due diligence prefer to be wealthy through drug money and corruption at the expense of the nation!

There have been several moves by the National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency together with security apparatus to weed out those engaged in the local production of Kush and the supply network.

But alarmingly, the trade is still existing because, some people have discovered unending fortune which cannot be stopped so soon.

The recent interception of over One Million Five Hundred Thousand United States dollars and cartoons of tramadol by the Liberian security forces, shows their demonstration and commitment in the fight against drug in their country.

Who knows whether such a trafficker was coming from Sierra Leone and might have crossed every so-called robust checking points without any detection?

In terms of revenue loss, there has been series of allegations that, lots of containers and goods are being cleared at the ports without paying the right revenues to government through the aid of some employees.

The leadership of the Ports and Harbours must be proactively involved not only in the fight against drugs, but also ensuring that the nation’s security is not compromised.