Sierra Leone has recalled its ambassador to Guinea, Alimamy Bangura, following the discovery of seven suitcases containing suspected cocaine in an embassy vehicle, according to Foreign Minister Alhaji Musa Timothy Kabba.
On Monday, Guinean authorities seized the vehicle and detained its occupants on charges of possessing “substances suspected to be cocaine.”
Minister Kabba described the development as serious and stated that the ambassador had been summoned to Freetown for a full account of the incident.
Kabba clarified that Ambassador Bangura was not in the vehicle at the time and is not currently under arrest. “It has not been proven that the ambassador is involved in this trafficking,” he said.
The minister also revealed that approximately $2,000 (£1,600) in cash was found alongside the suitcases but did not disclose the weight of the suspected drugs.
The governments of Sierra Leone and Guinea are collaborating on a comprehensive investigation, Kabba said, adding, “Anyone found guilty of breaking Sierra Leonean and international drug trafficking laws will face the full force of the law.”
West Africa has become a key transit hub for cocaine trafficking, with drugs moving from Latin America, where they are produced, to European markets. However, local consumption has also been rising.
Sierra Leone has struggled with drug abuse issues, prompting President Julius Maada Bio to declare it a national emergency in April.
A psychoactive substance known as “Kush” has plagued local communities, who have urged the government to combat drug abuse and provide support for affected individuals.
Source-BBC
