Sierra Leone has recalled its ambassador to Guinea after Guinean authorities impounded a vehicle belonging to the embassy and detained two occupants on suspicion of possessing cocaine.
Foreign Minister Alhaji Musa Timothy Kabba announced the recall of Ambassador Alimamy Bangura, stating that a thorough investigation is underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Guinean authorities seized seven suitcases containing suspected cocaine and $2,000 in cash from the embassy vehicle on Monday.
While Ambassador Bangura was not in the vehicle and is not under arrest, the government has taken this step as a precautionary measure.
This incident highlights the increasing challenge of drug trafficking in West Africa. According to a 2024 UN report, at least 126.4 tonnes of cocaine were seized in, en route to, or from West Africa between January 2019 and June 2024.
This incident comes as Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio has declared drug abuse a “national emergency” in the country.