By Mustapha Jallow
Drug enforcement officers have apprehended fifty-seven (57) Gambians and six foreign nationals for drug trafficking in June 2020.
Seventeen detainees were paraded at the Drug Law Enforcement Agency Gambia (DLEAG) station in Banjulinding on Friday, 3rd July 2020.
The Deputy Spokesperson of DLEAG – Dawda Sanygang told journalists that the drug traffickers were arrested in different regions of the country. Sanyang said 57 Gambians, 2 Senegalese, 2 Nigerians, 1 Sierra Leonean and 1 Guinean were apprehended in June for drug trafficking.
Sanyang said a total of three hundred and forty (340) big bundles of suspected cannabis sativa (marijuana) and some quantities of suspected cocaine were seized. The cannabis weighed 317 kilogram 285 grams and the cocaine weighed 57 gram 600 mg.
He said in the Kanifing administrative area, Twenty-seven (27) drug-related cases involving thirty-three (33) suspects (all male) of whom thirty-two (32) were Gambians and one (1) Guinea Conakry national were recorded.
Sanyang said two (2) cases relate to possession of prohibited drugs for the purpose of drug trafficking contrary to section 43(4) (e) of the Drug Control Act 2003, twenty (20) cases relate to possession contrary to section 35 of the same Act and one (1) case one found property (found property means that the owner or possessor of the seized drug is yet to be found or established).
Sanyang said investigation is ongoing. He continued to say that four (4) cases relating to Alleged Child Offender (ACO) were referred to the DLEAG’s Gender, Human Rights and Child Welfare Unit for further processing and necessary action.
“Out of the total quantity of drugs seized, Two (2) relates to cocaine, twenty- four (24) cannabis and one (1) controlled drug,’’ he said.
In Lower River Region (LRR), he further explained that a Gambian National was nabbed at Buiba Jallow Kunda Village with three (3) big bundles and one (1) parcel of suspected cannabis concealed in a brown paper inside a black travelling bag.
He said another five (5) suspected persons were arrested in the North Bank Region (NBR) with a total quantity of ten and a half big bundles, eleven parcels and six wraps of suspected cannabis at Essau, Sitanunku, prince and between Nbanta and Wallane respectively.
“All five suspects are Gambian Nationals,’’ said Sanyang.
Three (3) suspected persons were arrested at Bansang and Sare Chiwto in the Central River Region (CRR) with a total quantity of one (1) big bundle, one (1) parcel, one hundred and seventy-seven (177) wraps and some quantities of suspected cannabis. All three (3) suspects are Gambian nationals as well.
For Upper River Region, he said four (4) suspected persons were arrested at Mansajang Kunda, Sami Medina and Basse Angalfutta with a total of one (1) big bundle, eighty-two parcels and thirty-two (32) wrap of suspected cannabis. All four (4) suspects were Gambian Nationals.
Sanyang enjoined communities to join in the fight against drug trafficking in the country. He also urged parents to monitor the activities of their children.
