Sierra Leone has recalled its ambassador from neighboring Guinea after seven suitcases of suspected cocaine were found in the ambassador’s car.
On Monday, Guinean authorities seized a car belonging to the Sierra Leonean embassy and detained its passengers for allegedly possessing “drugs suspected to be cocaine,” said Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister Alhaji Musa Timothy Kabba.
“Due to this serious incident, the government immediately summoned the Sierra Leone ambassador to Guinea, Ambassador Mr. Alimamy Bangura, in Freetown to give a full report on the incident,” he added.
The sent back messenger was not in the car and has not been arrested, the minister said.
“There is no evidence that the embassy is involved in this human trafficking,” said Kabba.
About $2,000 (£1,600) in cash was found and seven suitcases, according to the minister, who did not specify the weight of the suspected drugs.
He said the two West African countries are cooperating in a “thorough” investigation into the incident, and he promised that all those involved will be held accountable.
“Anyone found guilty of violating Sierra Leone’s and international drug trafficking laws will face the full force of the law.”
West Africa is a major transit point for cocaine smuggling from Latin America, where it is produced, to Europe, one of the drug’s main markets.
But other drugs are also used locally.
Last April, Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio declared drug use in the country a national emergency.
Kush, a psychoactive compound of addictive drugs, has been rampant in the country for years.
Local communities have urged the government to fight this scourge and help deal with drug users.
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