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Citizen’s Right Network Sierra Leone (CRN-SL) Executive Director, Bai Koroma, voiced dismay on Wednesday, March 13th, 2024, regarding the disappearance of 19 cartons of Tramadol drugs at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay in Freetown.
Standard times Newspaper report that CRN-SL Executive Director Bai Koroma revealed that upon contacting Umaru Maddieu Kanneh, the Supervisor of the Customs Department at Water Quay, they discovered that Kanneh had previously halted the container’s movement based on intelligence received. Without wasting time, Kanneh alerted several security institutions, including TOCU, ONS, Pharmacy Board, NDLEA, the Police, and the Sierra Leone Ports and Harbour Authority, for immediate examination of the container.
During the examination, it was revealed that alongside other items, 35 cartons of Pregabalin 75 milligram, 67 cartons of Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride Capsules 225 milligram, and 229 cartons of Really Extra Tablet Diclofenac were discovered and recorded, then secured in storage pending further decisions and examination.
The subsequent placement of NRA/Customs seals on the store, with stakeholders documenting the seal numbers (01581 and 01582), aimed to ensure the integrity of the evidence.
Further investigations led by CRN-SL unveiled that Joseph Stevens from the Sierra Leone Police – TOCU Forensic Unit and Madam Hannah Masuba from the Sierra Leone Pharmacy Board had taken samples of the drugs for forensic analysis.
However, a concerning turn of events occurred when on February 17th, 2024, Umaru Maddieu Kanneh, on casual leave in Turkey, received a report that 19 cartons of Tramadol were missing during their transfer from the warehouse to vehicles assigned by TOCU.
CRN-SL has called on authorities to trace the consignee and conduct a thorough investigation into the matter, emphasizing the urgency of identifying the actual owner of the container and holding them accountable.
