Authorities in Sierra Leone are investigating the disappearance of a shipping container allegedly carrying chemicals used to make the illicit drug kush, with police and customs officials each denying responsibility for its whereabouts.
The container, reportedly containing precursor materials linked to the production of kush—a synthetic drug blamed for a growing public health crisis in the country—vanished from the Queen Elizabeth II Quay in Freetown earlier this month, according to customs sources.
Officials from the National Revenue Authority’s Customs Department said the container was handed over to police investigators for examination but has not been seen since. “We released it to the police for further investigation. After that, we lost track of it,” one senior customs officer told Salone Compass News.
Police have declined to comment publicly. A spokesperson did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Reuters.
The incident has intensified public frustration over what critics say is a weak and compromised response to Sierra Leone’s kush epidemic. The drug—a potent and often homemade blend of synthetic cannabinoids and other substances—has been linked to a surge in addiction, mental illness, and deaths among young people across the country.
President Julius Maada Bio’s government has vowed to clamp down on kush trafficking and production, but enforcement efforts have been undermined by corruption allegations and poor inter-agency coordination.
Authorities have not confirmed whether a formal investigation into the missing container has been opened.
By Joe Turay
