Suitcases with suspected cocaine found in an embassy vehicle

Sierra Leone recalled its ambassador from neighboring Guinea after seven suitcases containing suspected cocaine were found in an embassy vehicle.

On Monday, Guinean authorities seized a vehicle belonging to the Sierra Leone embassy and detained its occupants on suspicion of possession of “substances suspected to be cocaine,” Sierra Leone Foreign Minister Alhaji Musa Timothy Kabba said.

“In light of this serious development, the government has urgently recalled the Sierra Leone ambassador to Guinea, Mr Alimamy Bangura, to Freetown to provide a full report on the incident,” he added.

The retired envoy was not in the car and is not detained, the minister said.

“It has not been proven that the ambassador is involved in this trafficking,” Kabba said.

Around $2,000 (£1,600) in cash was found along with the seven suitcases, according to the minister, who did not specify the weight of the suspected drugs.

He said the two West African countries were cooperating in a “thorough” investigation into the incident and promised that all responsible parties would be held accountable.

“Anyone found guilty of violating Sierra Leone and international drug trafficking laws will face the full force of the law.”

West Africa is a major transit point for cocaine trafficking from Latin America, where it is produced, to Europe, one of the main markets for the drug.

But some drugs are also consumed locally.

Last April, the president of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio drug abuse in the country was declared a national emergency.

Kush, a psychoactive mix of addictive substances, has been prevalent in the country for years.

Local communities have called on the government to address the scourge and help them deal with drug users.