As part of it strategy to enhance national capacities to detect and investigate cross border organised crime in The Gambia, Guinea Bissau and Senegal, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) with funding from German Government organised a two weeks training program on criminal intelligence analysis for law enforcement officers in The Gambia. Operatives from the Drug Law Enforcement Agency the Gambia (DLEAG), The Gambia Police Force (GPF), State Intelligence Services (SIS) and The Gambia Immigration Department (GID) were trained on skills and techniques in Criminal Intelligence Analysis from the 9th to 20th July 2018 at the Ocean Bay Hotel in Bakau.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Mr Kodjo Attisso UNODC regional adviser said he is delighted to be part of the capacity building exercise. He revealed that the activity is part of UNODC’s projects aiming at enhancing national capacities to detect and investigate cross border and organised crimes in the Gambia and other countries. Further dilating, Mr, Attisso said that the UNODC has developed a strategy aimed at building capacity in human trafficking and fostering cooperation between Senegal, Gambia and Guinea-Bissau in combating illicit drug trafficking and transnational organised crimes.
‘Similar trainings will be conducted in Senegal and Guinea Bissau in joint simulation to combat illicit drug trafficking and organised crimes, interdiction of border crime, intelligent analysis’ he said. He expressed appreciation of the support of the Federal Government of Germany for funding the training program, UNODC, the Ministry of Interior and the Director General of DLEAG and other sister security forces for allowing their officers participate in the training. He finally thanked the Gambia Government for their resolve and commitment to enforce the laws of the Gambia and combat all forms of crime.
The Germany counsellor Miss Anita Martins on her part said the training course on criminal intelligence analysis is part of a project funded by the Federal foreign office of Germany and implemented by UNODC with the aim of enhancing national capacities, to detect and investigate cross-border organised crime in the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal. She expressed hope that the training will strengthened the law enforcement capacity and serve as a platform to share best practices and strengthened collaboration among agencies. This she said will have a multiplied impact in the respective specialized units across Gambian law enforcement agencies making it harder, riskier and costlier for criminal networks to proliferate both within the sub-region and across the globe.
‘It is important to help people to help themselves not only to support sustainable development but also for the sake of stability and security’ she said. Speaking further, she said training programs like this are very important in contributing to efforts aimed at enhancing African partners’ capacity to counter serious crimes and boost sub-regional, regional and international cooperation.
Mr. Bakary Gassama, Director General of DLEAG in his statement said the Gambia remains a target of drug trafficking organisations who are taking advantage of her strategic location to both South America and Europe as a drug trafficking route. Therefore, he said it is imperative to prepare well in terms of both human capacity and equipment to respond adequately to the illegal activities of these organisations. He buttressed on the importance of collaboration in combating illicit drug trafficking and organised crime as no single law enforcement entity can tackle this menace alone.
‘UNODC’s effort to prepare The Gambia with the requisite capacity to better respond to the security needs of our people is highly commendable’ stated Mr. Gassama. He revealed that DLEAG is closely working with our counterparts in Senegal to sign an operational memorandum of understanding which will serve as an instrument of coordinated action against trans-national crime particularly illicit drug trafficking. He also disclosed that the Drug Control Act (DCA) 2003 is currently being reviewed and completely overhauled to ensure that it is in line with internationally recognised standard and best practices. DG Gassama said that when completed this act will cater for strategic approach to international cooperation including mutual assistance and extradition as well as the recovery and confiscation of criminal assets.
He finally expressed his agency’s recognition and appreciation of the volume of support from UNODC and assured them that the training will be put into good use and will greatly boost law enforcement capacity in combating illicit drug trafficking and organised crime.
