SIERRA LEONE: COCAINE CARTELS AND THE RISE OF STATE CAPTURE

By Abdoul Mahdieu Savage

2 February 2025

Sierra Leone has come under renewed scrutiny as a key transit hub for international drug trafficking. A damning report by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs underscores the extent of the crisis, stating that "drug trafficking and money laundering remain prevalent, with the country being used as a transshipment point from South America and Asia to Europe, and, to a lesser extent, the United States." The report further highlights that corruption is a “pervasive problem in Sierra Leone that compromises citizen access to basic public services and institutions such as health, education, and the police. The criminal justice system is inefficient and backlogged.” ( Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs: Sierra Leone Summary - United States Department of State)

Escalating role in global drug trade

Sierra Leone has become a critical hub in international cocaine trafficking, with increasing seizures and arrests linked to the country. The World Drug Report 2023 identified eight African nations as emerging markets for the cocaine trade between 2019 and 2022. Among them, Sierra Leone stands out, with record drug seizures in 2021.(See page160: WDR23_B3_CH8.pdf )

The country’s role in the global narcotics trade became even more evident when Belgian authorities traced the second-largest shipment of cocaine entering their ports to Sierra Leone, seizing six tonnes of the illicit substance in 2024. (Big Drop In Drug Seizures At Belgium Mega Port As Latam Busts Soar - Barron's)

Cocaine seizures

The increasing use of West African maritime routes by traffickers is exemplified by a significant drug interception in November 2022. The French Navy, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies from Brazil, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, intercepted a Brazilian tugboat 400 miles off the coast of Sierra Leone. The vessel, under surveillance since its departure from Brazil, was carrying over 4.6 tonnes of cocaine worth approximately €150 million (US$157.8 million). If distributed in the UK, authorities estimate the drugs could have generated more than £300 million (US$366.4 million) in criminal profits. (French Navy Seizes 4.6 Tonnes of Cocaine from Brazilian Tugboat | OCCRP)

Sierra Leone's link to the global cocaine trade has been further reinforced by multiple arrests involving traffickers with ties to the country. On January 9, 2025, Joy Gulmatico, a 29-year-old Filipina, was apprehended at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport attempting to smuggle 4.57 kg of cocaine worth PHP 24.2 million ($416,240). She had travelled from Sierra Leone via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. (Filipina traveler caught with P24-M cocaine at NAIA | Philippine News Agency)

On 17 January 2025, in Mumbai, India, authorities arrested Thoma Mendy, a 40-year-old Senegalese national, for smuggling 2.6 kg of cocaine valued at ₹26.62 crore ($3 million). Mendy admitted he had received the drugs at a hotel in Sierra Leone before embarking on his journey. (Mumbai: DRI Arrests 40-Year-Old Senegal National For Smuggling Cocaine Worth ₹26.62 Crore At CSMIA; Reveals Syndicate Ties)

On 8 February 2025, the authorities in Liberia seized a “shipment of 234 kg of cocaine at Bo Waterside, a key border crossing with Sierra Leone.” (Liberia’s Growing Drug Crisis: Weak Justice System Turning Nation into Traffickers’ Haven - FrontPageAfrica)

In May 2022, a major cocaine seizure occurred in Burkina Faso, where 115 kg of the drug was discovered in a vehicle that had originated in Sierra Leone before crossing through Guinea and Mali en route to Ghana. (See page 14: TOCTA_Sahel_drugs.pdf)

High-profile UK smuggling operation

One of the most striking cases implicating Sierra Leone in the global drug trafficking occurred in June 2022. The UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) intercepted a Merseyside-based organised crime syndicate attempting to smuggle 1.3 tonnes of cocaine into the UK. The drugs, concealed within a shipment of garri flour from Freetown, had an estimated street value of £140 million. The operation, codenamed "Lemonlike," identified Darren Schofield, also known as "Thor," as the ringleader. Six members of the gang were sentenced to a combined 75 years in prison in December 2024. ( Drugs boss set up front company for Amazon and Argos goods to smuggle cocaine worth £140m - National Crime Agency) (Thor' and his gang smuggled £140m of cocaine into the UK from Sierra Leone - Liverpool Echo)

Diplomatic controversy

On or about January 17, 2025, no fewer than seven suitcases filled with cocaine were discovered in a Sierra Leone embassy vehicle in Guinea, raising diplomatic and legal questions about official complicity in drug smuggling operations. (Sierra Leone: Suitcases of suspected cocaine found in embassy vehicle - BBC News)

State capture

The Africa Confidential Special Report, titled "President Bio Keeps Cocaine Lord in the Family," Sierra-Leone-Cocaine-Lord-Special-Report-1.pdf provides compelling evidence of state capture in Sierra Leone by narcotics traffickers. The report details how Jos Leijdekkers (also known as Chubby Jos, Mocro Mafia Boss, Bellos Jos, and Omar Sheriff), a convicted Dutch cocaine kingpin, has infiltrated the highest levels of Sierra Leone's political and security structures.(Mafia boss 'Chubby Jos' tracked down after pics gave away location but shock twist means cops can't touch him…for now | The US Sun) He has effectively infiltrated and commandeered state institutions to serve the interests of his criminal enterprise.

In 2008, Sierra Leone’s state apparatus cooperated to ensure that those who flew a plane-load of cocaine into the country were apprehended and handed over to the United States. However, this remains the only instance where cocaine traffickers have been arrested with the collaboration of the Sierra Leonean government. Since then, the landscape has drastically changed, with mounting evidence that state institutions are now complicit in the drug trade rather than combating it.

Various investigative reports have exposed the deep political ties the cartel enjoys in Sierra Leone. Notably, Africa Confidential reveals that Leijdekkers, also known as Omar Sheriff, has a personal connection to the presidency, as he is romantically involved with Agnes Bio, the daughter of President Julius Maada Bio. Agnes Bio holds a diplomatic position at Sierra Leone’s Permanent Mission to the UN in New York, a role that grants her diplomatic immunity. This raises concerns that the cartel may be using diplomatic privileges to facilitate its operations under official cover.

Reports from Africa Confidential and other international sources indicate that Leijdekkers and his cartel have infiltrated Sierra Leone’s security forces, securing logistical support and protection for their smuggling operations. This suggests a deliberate subversion of security institutions, prioritising the interests of the cartel over national security.

The issuance of official documents to cartel members is another strong indicator of state capture. Both past and present Chief Immigration Officers have been implicated in providing passports to cartel operatives, enabling their unrestricted international movement. This abuse of authority demonstrates the cartel’s ability to manipulate immigration systems for illicit purposes.

Evidence has emerged that the Queen Elizabeth II Quay, also known as Deep Water Quay, has been used as a hub for massive cocaine shipments to Europe. Despite multiple cocaine seizures abroad linked to shipments from Sierra Leone, the Sierra Leone Police have taken no action, further signalling state complicity.

Despite overwhelming evidence of state institutions being exploited by the cartel, there have been no prosecutions. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), which is empowered to initiate legal proceedings, has remained silent and inactive, suggesting either intimidation or collusion. The ACC’s failure to act reinforces the perception of a compromised justice system.

Money laundering and rapid asset accumulation by government officials have reached alarming levels. High-ranking officials, including the Chief Immigration Officer, have reportedly acquired multiple properties in the United States and elsewhere in quick succession. This sudden wealth accumulation abroad strongly indicates money laundering and illicit financial flows, further entrenching the cartel’s economic influence.

Conclusion

These indicators paint a clear picture of a criminal organisation that has effectively captured state mechanisms, bending them to its will and undermining the rule of law. The entanglement of political figures, security forces, and administrative officials with narcotics traffickers has not only facilitated the cartel’s operations but has also eroded public trust in democratic governance and jeopardised both national and international security. Addressing this crisis requires urgent, coordinated action at both domestic and international levels to dismantle the cartel’s grip on state institutions and restore institutional integrity, justice, and accountability.

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