As Smugglers Shift Launchpad’s for EU Migration
By: Nyima Sillah
Smugglers have now moved to new terrains to smuggle people out of The Gambia to the EU as the Gambia Immigration Department (GID) intensified its surveillance of the traditional launchpads for irregular migration, indicated the GID boss.
Parts of the North Bank Region, Banjul, Bakau, and the southern coastline were the popular launchpads for irregular sea journeys to Europe but the GID late last year launched the Operation Zero Departure (OZD) initiative following an unprecedented surge in the number of people, attempting to travel to the EU irregularly.
According to statistics from the GID, more than 300 individuals and 29 boats were intercepted in 2023 as they attempted to travel to Europe.
However, as the GID intensified operations against irregular migration, smugglers have been devising plans to escape the watchful eyes of the officers.
According to the Director General of the GID, Seedy Muktarr Touray, the dynamics of irregular migration keep evolving.
“The dynamics keep changing but we are managing expectations. What we noticed now is that they[smugglers and migrants] go all the way 100km from Banjul, sometimes to a place called Bwiam in the Fonis. That is the place they will start this journey…Sometimes Sutusinjang,” DG Touray explained in an interview with GID’s Identity magazine.
He described the trend as a new phenomenon but was quick to point out that the GID is equal to the task.
“As soon as they want to start, we hit and we are always successful in apprehending them. So, that is all the more reason they also changed, shifted to ToubaKolong in Nuimi, Bwiam, Sutusinjang and recently,very close to my home town Pirang… That is Bonto,” stated the GID boss.
He explained that officers conduct constant patrols not only during the day but sometimes during odd hours.
“We also manage to outsource vital intelligence within communities, relating to the movement of smugglers and migrants,” he added.