By Buba Gagigo
The Drug Law Enforcement Agency of The Gambia (DLEAG) has confirmed arresting two people allegedly in possession of cocaine and firearms.
“Our field agents stationed within the Tourism Development Area alongside operatives of the Special Operation Squad conducted a sting operation that resulted in the seizure of fifty-two (52) blocks of suspected cocaine seized from one Bocar Hamet Sall at a warehouse located around Jimpex. The said incident happened on Tuesday 29 September 2023.
“The suspect, who was under the radar of the agency, was clutched while he was offloading two (2) cartoons containing the said 52 blocks of suspected cocaine. Operatives also seized two (2) detachable Benz trucks and a Dodge vehicle with registration number BJL 5985 X,” DLEAG said.
The agency said prior to the seizure of these 52 blocks of cocaine, their operatives stationed in the West Coast Region also seized one hundred and four (104) blocks of cocaine from two (2) Bissau Guinean Nationals on July 14, 2023.
“50-year-old Adulai Seidi who was the principal suspect in that matter was with sixty-three (63) blocks of cocaine found in his car at the Brusubi Police checkpoint. The vehicle is a Toyota RAV 4 with registration number KM 5352 E.
Further search of his residence at Paradise Estate in old Yundum resulted in the seizure of another thirty-five (35) blocks of cocaine and a cash amount of four thousand (4000) Euros as well as two thousand nine hundred and fifty dalasis (D 2950.00) suspected to be illicit proceeds of the trafficking and dealing in prohibited drugs,” they said.
They said 37-year-old Ndey Jatta on the other hand, was ‘clutched’ at a residence in Sanchaba Sulay Jobe with six (6) blocks of cocaine.
“They were both arraigned in court and were found guilty of the charges of dealing and trafficking in drugs. The court, in sentencing them, fined them twelve million dalasis (D 12,000,000.00), while the cash amount found with Seidi and his vehicle were forfeited to the State,” they said.
In a similar but separate development, DLEAG said their operatives stationed at Amdalai border post nabbed a Senegalese national with twenty (20) pills of ecstasy, a pistol, and four (4) live rounds on Monday, 9 October 2024.
“A female Bissau Guinean National was apprehended by DLEAG’s North Bank Regional Command with fourteen (14) big bundles of suspected cannabis sativa. The said incident happened on the 12 of October 2024 around 07:30 hours GMT onwards,” they said.