The National Secretariat Anti-Trafficking in Persons Task Force has issued a public notice, dated March 18th, 2024, announcing the interception of fifty-seven individuals by the Sierra Leone Police at Kabala, thwarting a human trafficking attempt.

According to the notice, the Operations Team of the Sierra Leone Police, Kabala Divisional Headquarters, acting under the mandate of the National Task Force on Human Trafficking, intercepted fifty-seven individuals on Saturday, March 16, 2024. Among the intercepted individuals were twenty-six female adults, fourteen male children, and seventeen female children, ranging in age from two months to fifteen years.

Furthermore, the notice revealed that Mohamed Amadu Jalloh of 19 City Road, Portee, and Mohamed Sankoh of 5 Coker Lane, Portee, both in Freetown, were arrested for allegedly orchestrating a criminal enterprise to traffic the fifty-seven persons to Mali.

Initial investigations suggest that the victims were transported from Freetown, passing through Makeni and Kabala, with intentions to cross the porous borders of Koinadugu district into neighboring Guinea.

In accordance with the National Referral Mechanism, the Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU), Family Support Unit (FSU), and Criminal Investigation Department (CID) within the Sierra Leone Police have launched investigations into the matter. Meanwhile, the presumed victims are being referred through the Ministry of Social Welfare and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Task Force Secretariat for psychosocial support.