Ports Authority oversees public incineration of 461 cartons of seized drugs

2026, the Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority (SLPHA) collaborated with security sector partners to facilitate the public destruction of 461 narcotic drug cartons at the Transnational Organised Crime Unit (TOCU) headquarters in Freetown. The disposal followed a successful joint interdiction at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay on March 24, 2026, in which the contraband was intercepted by the SLPHA, National Revenue Authority (NRA), Office of National Security (ONS), Pharmacy Board, and Sierra Leone Police (SLP).
Speaking on behalf of the SLPHA, Principal Media Officer Aruna Momoh Kargbo said the public incineration demonstrates the Authority’s commitment to transparency in the fight against prohibited substances and maritime crime. He emphasised that the SLPHA has a “zero tolerance” policy toward illegal drugs and related offences, and that the Director General has called for not only increased interceptions but also the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for importing the seized consignments.
Before the incineration began, Ibrahim Kargbo of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLA) confirmed that the destruction followed a court order. Hon. Justice Mark Ngegba of the High Court issued a formal order authorising the destruction of the narcotics, ensuring that the procedure met legal requirements.
Rev. CSP M. J. K. Laggah, Head of TOCU, emphasised that the seizure and subsequent destruction were the result of multiple security agencies’ collaborative efforts. He described the operation as evidence of the government and the people’s unwavering commitment to combating illegal drugs. “The destruction of these drugs sends a clear and strong message that Sierra Leone remains steadfast in its zero-tolerance stance against the trafficking and abuse of dangerous drugs,” said CSP Laggah.
In a ceremony attended by members of the media and the general public, all 461 cartoons were incinerated in a pit at TOCU headquarters. The exercise’s public nature was intended to demonstrate accountability and strengthen Sierra Leone’s security institutions’ collaborative approach to combating narcotics trafficking and related maritime crimes.