By Nelson Manneh
The Gambia faces a growing challenge as drug traffickers target the country for the transit and storage of cocaine destined for Europe, the Director General of the Drug Law Enforcement Agency of The Gambia (DLEAG), Mr. Demba Ceesay, has said during a press conference at the agency’s headquarters in Pipeline.
Appointed by President Adama Barrow in June 2024, DG Ceesay acknowledged the widespread abuse of drugs within the country and outlined the agency’s plans to combat this escalating menace.
“While we recognize that a lot has been achieved in the past, we also admit and are conscious of the herculean nature of the task ahead of us. Drug abuse, illicit drug trafficking, and related transnational organized crime have become big issues for our country, the subregion, and the world at large, leaving us with no room for complacency,” he said.
DLEAG, established under the Drug Control Act of 2003, is the lead agency tasked with combating drug trafficking and abuse in The Gambia. The country has ratified all international protocols and conventions related to drug control.
DG Ceesay highlighted the emergence of New Psychotropic Substances (NPS) and synthetic drugs in the local market, which are particularly appealing to the youth. “Varying forms of synthetic cannabis and Amphetamine-Type Stimulants (ATS) have become a tremendous social menace, coupled with a massive surge in the trafficking and dealing of hard drugs in the subregion, including The Gambia,” he explained.
To counter these threats, DLEAG has implemented strategic restructuring to enhance its operational capacity. “We have reviewed our deployment plans and bolstered the agency’s strategy to address the uptick in drug abuse among youths and the trafficking of illicit drugs across our borders,” he added.
Over four months (July 1 to October 31, 2024), the agency registered 444 cases involving 465 individuals, including 265 Gambians and 100 non-Gambians. The foreign nationals arrested include Senegalese, Bissau-Guineans, Sierra Leoneans, Europeans, and Americans. “Most of the Europeans were arrested with cocaine, while most Sierra Leoneans were found with ‘kush,’” DG Ceesay disclosed.
DG Ceesay emphasized DLEAG’s ongoing collaboration with international and regional partners, such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the UK’s National Crime Agency, and anti-narcotic agencies in Turkey, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Ghana, and Nigeria. “Drug issues are both domestic and transnational. Our cooperation with valued partners ensures mutual benefits in tackling this global challenge,” he stated.
Assuring the Gambian public and the international community, DG Ceesay promised a “new dawn of integrity and professionalism” in the agency’s operations.
“We are committed to upholding the highest standards as we confront the growing threat of drug trafficking and abuse in The Gambia,” he concluded.
The press conference marked a decisive call to action, as DLEAG pledged to intensify efforts in protecting the country from becoming a haven for drug traffickers and to safeguard the lives of its citizens, particularly the youth, from the perils of substance abuse.
