Sierra Leone officials burned narcotic drugs and kush-making chemicals worth $200,000 on Saturday, following the declaration of a national emergency on drug abuse.
Several law enforcement agencies gathered at the Sierra Leone Police Training Academy in the capital, Freetown, as a small crowd watched the burning of the drugs and rising smoke.
Kush, a blend of chemical substances that have similar effects to cannabis, has been widespread in the West African country for many years.
Mohamed Alieu, the head of a police transnational organized crime unit, stated during a brief ceremony marking the destruction of the drugs, "We are getting rid of confiscated narcotics, tramadol, and kush-manufacturing chemicals to prevent them from returning to the community."
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency also incinerated cannabis and cocaine.
The agency's Executive Director Andrew Jaia KaiKai declared, "We are fighting against kush to protect the youth of Sierra Leone from succumbing to drug addiction."
Joseph Lahai, director of the police’s crime services, emphasized, "Our nation is dealing with drug confusion, and we must eliminate it to safeguard the next generation."
Earlier this month, Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio characterized drug abuse in the country as a "national emergency."
AFP
