Fifty-one (51) people allegedly face criminal prosecution charges that range from various drug offences such as possession, cultivation, dealing in prohibited drugs and trafficking.
The suspected individuals are 46 Gambians and 5 foreign nationals (Bissau Guinean, British citizen and 4 Senegalese). Their charges came after a drug bust in deferent regions in the country, DLEA’s spokesperson told Foroyaa on Monday.
The crackdown on crime (drug abuses) in the community continues, especially getting drugs and abuses off the streets.
51 people were arrested during the month of September 1st to 30th 2021, as a part of agency effort curbs illegal drug activities in the country. But the names of the suspects were not released, in line with DLEAG privacy rules and the matter is still under investigation.
The Drug Law Enforcement Agency Gambia (DLEAG)’s spokesperson Ousman Saidybah said that the agency had registered a total number of forty-three (43) cases involving fifty-one (51) suspects.
He explained: “Operatives seized sixty (60) big bundles, two hundred and fourteen (214) parcels and six hundred (600) wraps of suspected Cannabis Sativa.”
Similarly, he added a cannabis cultivation site was also discovered at Brusubi, West Coast Region, and Sutukoba village in the Upper River Region respectively.
According to Saidybah operatives able to seized some quantities and a cannabis plant from another suspect in Sukuta, West Coast Region, saying other types of drugs seized during the reporting period were cannabis resin also known as hashish, cocaine, and clonazepam.
Sixty-two (62) stones of hashish, thirteen (13) stones of cocaine, and forty-five (45) tablets of clonazepam tablet were also seized by DLEA’s detectives, he said.
DLEA’s Saidybah remarks that West Coast Region registered the highest number of cases and accounts for the chunk of the seizures.
He stated that twenty-one (21) cases involving twenty-six (26) suspects including an Alleged Child Offender (ACO) were registered in DLEAG’s West Coast Regional Command.
“They also seized forty-two (42) bundles of Cannabis Sativa, one hundred and thirty-six (136) parcels, and two hundred and forty-four (244) wraps of suspected cannabis Sativa,” he further said.
In the same vein, Saidybah pointed out that their detectives were able discover a cannabis cultivation site in Brusubi and equally seized a plant of cannabis Sativa from another suspect in Sukuta.
“The other types of drugs seized by DLEAG's West Coast Regional Command included sixty-one (61) stones of hashish, forty (40) tablets of clonazepam a controlled drug, and thirteen (13) stones of cocaine.”
In Sutukoba village of the Upper River Region, he went to say their operatives apprehended a suspect who was using his bathroom to cultivate Cannabis Sativa, saying the suspect was arrested with four (4) big bundles and six (6) plants of suspected Cannabis Sativa.
In Banjul, DLEA’s spokesperson Saidybah, one person was arrested with four (4) parcels of suspected Cannabis Sativa shipped from the United States of America. He added the said suspected Cannabis Sativa was wrapped in a black nylon bag, wrapped in cloths, and then concealed in a cartoon.
“Recent discoveries and trends indicate that despite the giant strides, traffickers and dealers are not relenting on their nefarious activities. We must therefore heighten our surveillance mechanisms and strengthen our resolve to ensure that we bridle drugs and associated menace from our communities,” he warned.
Meanwhile, Saidybah said the suspects were granted bail - some are scheduled to appear before a court immediately when experts are done with their analysis (drug examination) in the case, while others are currently in court.
