The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) of Sierra Leone was formally established by the National Drugs Control Act, 2008 to coordinate the country’s efforts against drug abuse and illicit trafficking.
The agency was created under the administration of President Ernest Bai Koroma through the National Drugs Control Act signed on August 5, 2008. It was designed to implement international drug control conventions and provide a unified body for enforcement, prevention, and rehabilitation.
The Act empowered the NDLEA to act as a focal point for all drug-related issues, coordinating with the Sierra Leone Police, customs, and the Ministry of Health. The Ministry of Internal Affairs supervises the agency.
Under the leadership of the current Executive Director, Chief Andrew Jaiah Kaikai and the then-Advisory Board Chairman (now Minister of Internal Affairs) Morie Lengor, a Strategic Master Plan (2023–2028), was developed that focuses on four pillars: capacity building, drug demand reduction, law enforcement, and research.
On April 4, 2024, President Julius Maada Bio declared a State of Public Health Emergency on drug and substance abuse. This was largely driven by the rise of “Kush,” a synthetic cannabinoid that significantly impacted Sierra Leonean youth.
Following the 2024 emergency declaration, the NDLEA became a lead entity in the National Task Force on Substance Abuse, working alongside the military and police to conduct raids (such as “Operation Safe Street”) and community sensitization campaigns.
In late 2025, Sierra Leone implemented some of the world’s toughest drug laws, including a 30-year minimum sentence for drug-related crimes under updated directives related to the 2008 Act.