Arrested wooden boat with huge quantity of bed nets

On Saturday 30th March 2024, the Sierra Leone Naval patrol team stationed at the Forward Operating Base, Bailor, Port Loko District, arrested a passenger wooden boat that was heading towards the Republic of Guinea within Sierra Leone territorial waters. During their routine security patrols, Lieutenant Commander Mohamed Larkoh and team sported a vessel that looks like a trawler from a distance. Pursuing the boat to ascertain it activities, they discovered that the boat was label “POLE TO POLE” and captained by Mr Issa Kamara.
During some interrogations with the boat Captain, he attested that they departed from Sierra Leone Susan’s’ Bay heading to Conakry, Guinea. The patrol Commander then conducted a quick normal boarding procedure search on the boat. During the search, it was discovered that more than 40 bales (bundles) of bed nets believed to be the recently GoSL free supplied bed nets to its citizenry were seen. The captain of the boat could not tell the Patrol Commander who owns the items in question. The boat was immediately arrested and escorted to the Sierra Leone Navy Headquarters at Murray Town, Freetown.

1,825 assorted military caps and bed nets discovered during the joint  team search exercise

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  receiving

At the Sierra Leone Navy Headquarters, Murray town where the boat was escorted, the Navy Commander, Commodore Philip J Juana including key stakeholders like the Sierra Leone Maritime Police, National Revenue Authority, Sierra Leone United Boat Owners Association, Disease and Prevention Control Unit from the Ministry of Health, Media Houses and more, agreed that the boat should be offloaded and thoroughly searched.  During the joint search, the team recovered 40 bales of bed nets, 16 repackage bales of bed nets and 1,825 military assorted caps (head dresses) were also discovered.
In an interview with Dr Sallieu Kamara, the Director of Disease and Prevention Control from the Ministry of Health vowed to investigate the matter with the assistance of the SLP to the bottom and whosoever is found culpable will face the full force of the law.  In appreciation of the proactive security measures adopted by the RSLAF Navy, he commended the Commander of the Naval Wing and his personnel for their timely effort in effecting the arrest.  He therefore warned all those who engaged in illicit activities like this to disengage immediately as they will not pardon any person found wanting.

Bales of bed nets and other consignment unloaded during the joint team search exercise

Credit:
Directorate of Public Relations and Information
Ministry of Defence
Tower hill
Freetown