By Nelson Manneh
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency-The Gambia (DLEA-G), said the Agency has seized a cumulative total quantity of 1 ton, 954 kilograms, 34 grams and 492 milligrams of cannabis sativa in 2023.
The drug agency made this disclosure on Monday, 18 March 2024, in its activity report from the year ended, 2023.
The report shows the Agency’s seizure statistics for 2023 in comparison to 2022, indicating the types of prohibited and controlled drugs seized in 2023, such as cannabis sativa, cannabis resin (hashish), cannabis ruderalis (skunk), cannabis plants, ‘kush’, cocaine, crystal meth, heroine, clonazepam, methamphetamine, ecstasy, tramadol, diazepam and MDMA.
In 2023, the Agency said it seized 9 kilograms, 598 grams and 883 milligrams of hashish; 1 kilogram, 841 grams and 554 milligrams of skunk; 7 kilograms, 352 grams 121 milligrams of kush; 184 kilograms, 46 grams and 398 milligrams of cocaine; 78 grams and 266 milligrams of crystal meth; 74 grams of heroin; 3 tablets of clonazepam; 3,854 tablets of methamphetamine; 11,385 tablets of ecstasy; 83 tablets of tramadol; 37 tablets of diazepam and 5 grams 120 milligrams of MDMA.
The report further states that the Agency’s Public Affairs and Drug Demand Reduction Unit conducted one hundred and forty-nine radio talk shows over six radio stations, which include GRTS; Star FM; Al-Falaq Islamic radio; Teranga FM; Home Digital FM; West African Democracy Radio (WADR) and King FM radio. It added that the radio talk shows on GRTS, Star FM, and Islamic Al-Falaq are permanent one hour radio talk shows while the rest were invitations for discussion on pertinent issues relating to drug abuse, illicit drug trafficking and related activities.
On School Outreach Programme:
The Agency reported that it organized twenty two School outreach programmes targeting students across the country, and the Schools were Mbullum Ahmadiyya Upper Basic and Senior Secondary School; Bansang Upper Basic and Senior Secondary School; Keneba Upper Basic and Senior Secondary School; Soma Lower Basic School; No-Kunda Basic Cycle School; Suduwol Upper Basic and Senior Secondary School; Nusrat Senior Secondary School; Serrekunda Upper Basic School; Misra Basic Cycle School; Pakaliba Upper Basic and Senior Secondary School; Brikama-Ba Upper Basic and Senior Secondary School; Armitage Senior Secondary School; Nasir Ahmadiyya Secondary School; Nyakoi Upper Basic and Senior Secondary School; Kuntaur Upper Basic School; Niani Senior Secondary School; Panchang Basic Cycle School; Nyanga Bantang Upper Basic Secondary School; Farafenni Senior Secondary School and Banni Basic Cycle School.
On Community Sensitization and Capacity Building Training:
It added that some of the programmes include capacity building training on ACU-STIM Pulse Therapy for service providers and youth led organizations at the NaNA conference center on 8th March 2023 and a weeklong collaborative community outreach and Iftar within the Greater Banjul Area in partnership with the Kanifing Municipal Scout Association from the 13 to 19 April 2023 among others.
