Police Intercept 190 Tapentadol Tablets in Intelligence-Led Drug Bust at Mile 38, Kambia District
By Reginald Brian Ojukutu Sawyerr
The Sierra Leone Police, through the Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU), have intercepted 190 tablets of Tapentadol in an intelligence-led drug operation at Mile 38 in Kambia District.
The interception was disclosed during a press briefing held on Tuesday, 21 January 2026, at the Police Officers’ Mess in Kingtom, Freetown. Addressing journalists, the Head of TOCU, Rev. Michael Laggah, said the operation targeted a vehicle suspected of transporting illegal drugs.
According to Rev. Laggah, upon sighting police officers, the driver abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene. Police recovered the driver’s licence left behind in the vehicle, which investigators say is assisting efforts to trace and identify the suspect.
A subsequent search of the abandoned vehicle led to the discovery of 190 tablets of Tapentadol, a controlled prescription opioid commonly abused for its narcotic effects. The drugs have been secured as exhibits, while investigations continue to apprehend the suspect and identify possible accomplices.
Rev. Laggah noted that Mile 38 remains a strategic transit point, making it particularly vulnerable to drug trafficking activities. He reiterated the Sierra Leone Police’s commitment to dismantling drug networks and protecting communities from the dangers posed by illicit and controlled substances.
He warned that individuals involved in the trafficking and distribution of drugs will face the full force of the law and called on members of the public to continue supporting the police with credible information.
The briefing, police say, forms part of on-going efforts to enhance transparency and intensify the nationwide fight against drug trafficking.
