Like drug baron Bolle Jos, petty Kush sellers have the police in their pockets. Drug trafficking and the sale of harmful substances are being controlled by some individuals in communities across the country. While drug dealing was once mostly confined to slums and hilltop areas, it is now happening in the middle of town and in the city centres. Sierra Leone cannot afford to allow businesses that cause danger, not to mention drug dealing in the middle of town. This creates risks of accidents and blocks the free flow of traffic, especially heavy vehicles. People are openly selling harmful drugs as police pass by. (Photo: Maada Bio and his son-in-law Jos Leijdekker).

Calabash Becomes a Hub

In Mamba Ridge, Moeba Community – a densely populated hillside settlement in eastern Freetown – residents say the Kush trade continues to thrive. Community stakeholders report that in recent days, the area has become a major hub for trafficking, production, and open consumption of Kush and other harmful synthetic drugs. Attempts to get comments from the Rose Road Police Division and the Transnational Organised Crime Unit TOCU were unsuccessful.

Drug Hotspots Identified

Sources in Calabash and Bottom Mango Market junction said petty dealers peddled drugs in the Moeba Community towards the cinema, and the situation is worsening. Residents say that many youths coming into the area are from other communities where they are not tolerated. They always settle in Moeba and recruit local youths into drug use and sale. A key figure named by residents as Junior, commonly known as the White Boy of Upper Bottom Mango Market, sells drugs. Residents allege he lives in a house close to the market and is deeply involved in drug trafficking and sales. Smokers are said to be disturbing the community day and night, with many of the boys lying drunkenly on the ground after taking Kush. Stakeholders also point to Calabash in Bottom Mango, Moeba, as open-air drug markets operating daily with minimal police interference. (Photo: Kush victims and houses in Bottom Mango, Calabash, Moeba Community).

Allegations of Police Collusion

Community leaders have indicated that police officers conduct unauthorised raids without the knowledge of senior command. They claim the officers arrest dealers and users, only to release them after receiving bribes. Sources further say that after operations, officers return to discuss issues with sellers at the drug points. “No matter how many times they raid them, they will not stop,” one community head said. “Police come with trucks of officers, but nothing happens. Sometimes they use Modeyeama around Kissy Brook Mosque as a side way to escape. Another escape route is behind the UMC School. They use these routes when police come to raid the area. After they are given money, they leave without making any arrests.” Residents also allege that some market women have become suppliers, selling to youths and protecting dealers from eviction. The entire area, extending to the waterfront, is described by residents as a “drug zone.”

The ‘Junior’ Network

Stakeholders say the trade is run by multiple layers of suppliers and street-level sellers. Junior is often heard boasting that “the police are in my pocket” and that no officer will obstruct his Kush operations. According to community heads, Junior often lives inside a house in Moeba, Mamba Ridge, to avoid police attention, returning only to collect money from sellers. However, most dealers remain within the community. Some are not originally from Moeba but rent homes there specifically to continue operations. Despite past arrests and court charges for Kush possession and sale, dealers allegedly claim they can “bribe their way out” and resume business. A site near Bottom Mango, up toward Calabash, was previously reported as a Kush production factory. Suspects were allegedly released after paying bribes.

Violence and Impact on Youth

Community heads report rising violence, including stabbings and killings following drug-related confrontations. Residents say a lack of adequate security and widespread drug use has created a climate of fear. Leaders estimate that up to 50% of young people in these communities have had their futures damaged by drug use. Children from Moeba and surrounding slum areas are also joining users who travel from other parts of Freetown. “Kush is cheap, but it and other harmful drugs are destroying Sierra Leone, one resident said. “We must act fast before more of our children are lost.” (Photo: Kush victims and houses in Bottom Mango, Calabash, Moeba Community).

Public Consumption and Community Fear

Residents further note that dealers and users are no longer hiding. They reportedly sell and smoke Kush publicly, despite it being illegal under state law. “This thing is against the state, but they do it in the open for everybody to see,” one resident said.

Community Demands

Residents are calling for sustained, large-scale raids – not one-off operations. They also want accountability for landlords who allow sellers and smokers to return after eviction, particularly in Moeba, Bottom Mango, and Calabash towards the waterfront. They are urging the Rose Road Police Division, PWD Police Post, TOCU, and the Office of National Security [ONS] to intervene urgently.

Specific demands include:

1. Targeted raids in identified hotspots
2. Investigation into allegations of police collusion and bribery
3. Dismantling all drug supply chains

This medium calls on concerned authorities to investigate drug activities in Moeba and probe bribery allegations before more children are lost to drugs.