In a bold move against the rampant drug abuse plaguing the Kanikay slum community in Freetown’s East-end, a Joint Operations Team comprising General Duties and OSD personnel from the Harbour Police Division carried out a series of raids.
The community, notorious for harboring criminals, drug dealers, and abusers, witnessed the demolition of dozens of ghettos used for organized criminal activities.
The raids were prompted by the alarming misuse of the deadly Kush drug and its detrimental health effects on users. Prior to the operation, CSP Mr. Emmanuel Kpulun, the Local Unit Commander of the Harbour Police Division, urged his team to “be professional but firm and uncompromising in the fight against illicit drugs, particularly the deadly Kush. Let us do this for the good of our country.”
ASP Mr. Mohamed Mansaray, Officer Commanding the Operations Support Division (OSD) of the Harbour Police Division, cautioned personnel to remain vigilant during the raids. “Do not overtly rely on the friendliness of the communities you are raiding. Situations can change at any time,” he warned.
Led by Operations Officer Inspector Alpha Umaru Jalloh, the demolitions were met with applause from Kanikay residents, who expressed gratitude to the police for dismantling ghettos that had plagued their community for years. Komrabai Kamara, a local boat carpenter, voiced their appreciation, urging the police to sustain the raids.
Sento Sesay, an employee of Holland Shipping Company in Kanikay, tearfully called for the arrest and prosecution of those involved in importing, distributing, and selling Kush, highlighting the devastating impact on the community.
During the raids, premises suspected of harboring drug lords, including that of Yusif Abu Sesay alias DJ Skinny, were searched. Quantities of drugs believed to be Kush were seized and treated as exhibits by the Police.
As the operations concluded, the Police encouraged the public to provide credible information to aid in the identification, arrest, and prosecution of individuals involved in the Kush trade.
Credit: Media Team – Harbour Division
