By: Nicholas Bass & Fatoumatta Krubally
The Director General of the Drug Law Enforcement Agency of The Gambia (DLEAG), Demba Ceesay, last Friday revealed that Gambians have taken the lead in trafficking of various types of prohibited drugsin the past four months.
Speaking in a press conference at the DLEAG HQ at Pipeline on Friday, DG Ceesay revealed that the anti-narcotics agency registered 444 cases in the past four months. The cases, according to him, involved 465 suspects. Hestated that out of the 465 suspects, 265 are Gambians while the rest are non-Gambians ofdifferent nationalities.
“The non-Gambian arrestees involved Senegalese, Bissau nationals, Sierra Leoneans, Europeans and Americans. Most of the Europeans are arrested with cocaine and most of the Sierra Leoneans were arrested with Kush,” the DLEAG boss told journalists.
Enumerating the seizures, DG Ceesayexplained that two tons, 841 kilograms, 146gand 787 mg of Cannabis Sativa were seized while 8 kg of Cannabis Sativa,325 mg and 10 kg were seized from a cannabis plantation. He further explained that 452g, 996mg and 9 kg of cocaine have been confiscated in the past four months, adding that 767g, 327 mg of hashish, 1 kg, 737 g and 861mg of skunk were seized within the past four months.
He reported that 18,876 tablets of methamphetamine,483g and 711mg of kush,13 tablets of diazepam,two tablets of tramadol ,10 tablets of clonazepam ,4684 mg of crystal meth,25g and 830 mg of molly andone gram, 415mg of MDMA , 80g and 426mg of infused cannabis gummies were all seized by DLEAG and its agents during the reporting period.
Meanwhile, DG Ceesay told reporters that when he sat with his directors and commissioners and looked into the trajectory of the agency, he was able to assess staff capacities and its administrative and operational structures on how the agency can partner with institutions both at home and abroad for the attainment of its objective.
“It is on the basis of the aforesaid scenario that this management deemed it necessary to review its deployment plans to bolster the operational strategy of the agency. By doing so, we quickly explored minor restructuring to address the existential threats, especially those relative to the uptick of drug abuse among our youths and illicit drug trafficking across our borders,” Ceesay stated.
Ceeasy further stated that his office has reviewed the goals, mission and vision of the agency, stressing that such will be pegged against the current drug abuse and trafficking situations in the country.
He told reporters that the agency does not shy away from admitting that “there is widespread abuse of drugs in our homes, neighborhoodsand communities and the fact that our country, like others in the sub-region, is being targeted by drug trafficking rings for the transit and storage of cocaine destined for Europe”.
Abdoulie Ceesay, the director of Demand Reduction, Media and Advocacy, expressed concerns about the sentencing of drug offenders and the need for stricter enforcement of drug control laws.
“As an agency, we are committed to ensuring that justice is served and that drug traffickers face the full force of the law,” he pointed out as he addressed concerns about sentencing discrepancies in the judiciary and reiterated the agency’s “dedication” to upholding the law and ensuring justice for drug-related offenses.
Pa Samba Bojang, commissioner of thescientific unit, addressed the “prevalence” of ‘kush’ in the country, noting a reduction in seizures due to strategies being implemented by the agency.
“Our efforts to minimize the trafficking of ‘kush’ have shown positive results, especially at our borders. We remain vigilant in our fight against this illicit substance,” he stated.
Commissioner of Border Security, Modou Jobe, underscored the agency’s focus on border security and successful interdictions at key entry points.
“Through strategic redeployment of experienced officers and collaboration with airport task forces, we have made significant strides in intercepting drug trafficking activities. We are committed to safeguarding our borders from illicit drug trade,” he stated.
Juma Sowe, commissioner of operations,highlighted the agency’s intelligence-led operations and the vital role of public cooperation in their success.
“Our partnership with the community is crucial in combating drug trafficking effectively. We rely on the support of the public to help us in our mission to create a drug-free Gambia,” he remarked.
