A red shipping container has been sitting at Sierra Leone’s Queen Elizabeth II Quay, surrounded by cranes and stacks of similar containers. This particular container is suspected to hold ingredients for kush, a dangerous synthetic drug that is causing serious problems in Sierra Leone.
Sky News gained access to the container two weeks after it was seized. Martin George, the secretary of the Ports Authority, pointed to colorful bags marked with Amazon UK labels and a large vat of acetone. He confirmed that preliminary tests indicate these items are indeed ingredients for kush, which was shipped from the United Kingdom.
The container was flagged for screening because of its origin. The UK, along with certain countries in the EU and South America, is considered a high-risk area for the import of illegal drugs. Kush has become a major issue not just in Sierra Leone, but also in neighboring countries like Liberia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and The Gambia. It is highly addictive, cheap, and constantly changing, making it a growing concern.
Kush is made from grey-green leaves that resemble marijuana. It’s extremely dangerous; researchers found that some samples contained nitazenes, a powerful synthetic drug. These nitazenes are reported to be up to 25 times stronger than fentanyl, one of the deadliest drugs available.
The effects of kush are evident in Freetown, where many young people are suffering. Some have visible sores on their bodies, while others appear unable to function properly. One young man described the drug as "evil," saying it has ruined many lives, including his own. He expressed sorrow over losing friends to kush-related health issues.
The situation is dire for many in Freetown, where poverty and unemployment are rampant. A community known as the "Under de Bridge family" has formed under an overpass, where people of all ages come together, united by their addiction to kush. They live in harsh conditions, surrounded by waste and sewage.
One expectant mother admitted to knowing the risks of smoking kush during pregnancy but felt she had no choice. "It helps me forget my worries," she said, highlighting the desperation many feel in their daily lives.
In The Gambia, law enforcement is cracking down on the spread of kush, but the problem remains. A former dealer from Sierra Leone, who spent a year in prison for selling kush, shared his lack of remorse, stating he needed to support his family.
Experts believe that the rise of kush is part of a larger global issue with synthetic drugs. They stress the need for coordinated action among countries to tackle this crisis, especially concerning the deadly components like nitazenes. The situation in West Africa requires urgent attention, as the region struggles to cope with the growing drug problem.