An organization that is believed to be involved in human trafficking and the planting of marijuana in the southern part of Bonthe District, Sierra Leone, reports states, has declared one of its workers, Bayoh Conteh, wanted after he escaped from the organization’s facility in Bonthe District.
Bonthe District, which is known to be an island in Sierra Leone, is widely known as a place for growing and harvesting marijuana, a plant which is prohibited in Sierra Leone. Reports have it that an organization that is involved in such an act is owned and managed by top government politicians who are using the banks to always clean their money after deriving it from illegal and unlawful businesses.
Human trafficking in Sierra Leone is a major crime. The Sierra Leone government has been coming down heavily on those suspected of being involved in the trade. It is understood that Conteh was a taxi driver who came into contact with one Ibrahim Kallon, co-owner of the organization, through his taxi service. He was later employed to work at the marijuana farm, which was highly guarded with armed personnel. The marijuana farm in Bonthe is a highly protected area, and anyone who works there is highly monitored and not easily allowed to go out. Information management and reporting are very crucial to the organization, who knows that the lives of all those working for them are under threat. It is because of this that many young guys are afraid of working in that marijuana farm, which is also known for human trafficking.
On the 5th of June this year, 2022, Bayoh Conteh was first declared missing through a public notice issued on social media. His whereabouts remained unknown as there were rumors that he had been secretly killed and buried on the island. But sources within the marijuana camp in Bonthe District disclosed that the management has issued a wanted notice for Bayoh, who, reports state, had fled out of the camp. They are afraid that his uninformed movement out of the facility could lead to something suspicious. Therefore, his safety has become a cause for concern as there are reported cases of missing people who have been working at the same facility in Bonthe.
In Sierra Leone, organized crime groups known as “cliques” are the primary entities identified as engaging in both human trafficking and the marijuana (cannabis) trade. Unlike formal non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that work to combat these crimes, these criminal networks operate as “mafia-style” groups.
According to the Global Organized Crime Index, the following groups and networks are involved in these activities:
Cliques (Local Gangs): Notable groups such as the Bloods, Crips, and So-So Black primarily engage in the trade of cannabis and a potent synthetic drug known as “Kush”. While their influence has been weakened by government crackdowns since 2018, they remain active in drug dealing and have historical ties to political actors.
Transnational Criminal Networks: These broader networks dominate the organized crime landscape in Sierra Leone, particularly in Freetown. They are involved in a wide array of illicit activities, including human trafficking, human smuggling, and the trafficking of drugs and arms.
Foreign and Regional Cartels:
Nigerian Cartels: Known to operate within the country, primarily controlling sections of the cocaine trade in Freetown.
Regional Gangs: Local traffickers often partner with gangs from neighboring countries for both human and drug smuggling operations.
The Organized Crime Index