The Sierra Leone Police have recovered a pistol, seven rounds of live ammunition and quantities of the synthetic drug kush during a raid at the residence of a Sierra Leonean woman, identified as Patricia Mansaray, in Sugar Land, Goderich, Western Rural District.

According to the authorities, Mansaray was not present when police officers conducted the operation at the premises. Officers, however, recovered her passport and national identity card during the search.

Police said an examination of Mansaray’s passport revealed multiple entry and exit stamps from different countries. Investigators reportedly established that she had recently travelled to The Gambia, Nigeria, Guinea and China, prompting further scrutiny as investigations into the discovery continue.

The pistol recovered from the residence was found to contain seven live rounds of ammunition. Police also discovered kush, a synthetic psychoactive substance that has become a major public health and security concern in Sierra Leone.

Authorities are continuing investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the possession of the firearm, ammunition and kush. A manhunt could be launched to locate and apprehend Mansaray to assist investigators with the ongoing inquiry.

The discovery comes amid Sierra Leone’s continuing struggle with the devastating effects of kush, particularly among young people. The highly addictive synthetic drug has become increasingly associated with substance dependence, mental and behavioural health problems, school and work disruption, homelessness and other forms of social vulnerability.

Young people are particularly exposed to the consequences of kush use, with communities and families reporting growing concerns about addiction and its impact on education, employment, relationships and livelihoods. The drug has also become a major concern for law-enforcement and public-health authorities because of its links to other forms of criminality and the increasingly harmful effects experienced by users.

The scale of the kush crisis has prompted calls for stronger prevention, treatment and rehabilitation services, alongside law-enforcement measures targeting those involved in the production, distribution and sale of the drug.