Smuggling many say is a major deterrent to economic growth and this according to findings, has over the years impacted negatively on the economic and social wellbeing of the ordinary Sierra Leonean.

The rampant smuggling of Sierra Leone’s locally produced food items like rice and palm to the neighboring Guinea mostly by Guineans has apparently made the country’s staple food unaffordable and unreachable for most Sierra Leoneans in the rural communities.

During police interrogation on Tuesday, the owner of the said Guinean registered trailer vehicle told the police in broken krio that he was carrying 600 jerry cans of palm oil, 100 bags of rice and 250 bags of garie but police promised to double check these figures by the end of the day.

The smuggling of rice and palm oil and other local food commodities many suggest does not only continue to strangle the state economy rather a gross abuse to the right to food. Chief Superintendent of Police Alimamy Bangura said with the support of the public, they are ready to make more arrests.

Talk on challenges, CSP Alimamy Bangura identified the massive transfers of police officers recently from his division without replacement and this he ended, has devastating effect to his performance.