As the Agency intensify supply suppression related interdiction regimes aimed at countering drug abuse, illicit drug trafficking and related transnational organised crime, operatives of DLEAG alongside personnel of The Gambia Immigration Department (GID) conducted a sting operations that led to the arrest of twenty (20) Nigerian Nationals suspected to be engaged in online scanning, documentation fraud and other forms of criminal related activities.
Fifteen of the suspects were arrested with twenty-three (23) laptops and eighteen (18) mobile phones at Wullinkama while the remaining five (5) suspects were clutched at Coastal Road with two (2) laptops and ten (10) mobile phones. Both operations were conducted simultaneously on Thursday 27th June 2024.
Operatives also discovered a red plastic containing some quantities of suspected skunk cannabis.
The suspects were taken into custody and charged for joint possession of a prohibited drug. The mater concerning suspected online scamming and documentation fraud will be forwarded to The Gambia Police Force and GID for further investigations and necessary actions that will be informed by the outcome of their investigations.
It is noteworthy to mention that this is not the first time that operatives stumble upon foreign nationals suspected of being involved in criminal related matters while acting on tip off information on drug related activities. DLEAG operatives alongside GID officers with back up support from the PIU arrested forty-nine (49) Sierra Leoneans, one (1) Nigerian and one (1) Nigerian National suspected to be engaged in criminal related activities at Faraba in the West Coast Region. Prior to this incident, DLEAG operatives had sometime in March 2022 nabbed thirteen (13) Nigerian nationals who were equally suspected to be engaged in online scamming with eighteen (18) laptops, nineteen (19) mobile phones, one (1) router and thirteen (13) passports. The said incident happened at Old Yundum at the suspects in both cases were handed over to the police for further investigations and necessary actions.
Premise on this, it is evident that while we intensify efforts aimed at combatting illicit drug trafficking and abuse, we must also remain alert and focused on fighting other forms crimes and fraudulent behaviours and conducts that have the potential of causing serious physical and emotional trauma on victims, undermine economic activities, lead to financial loss of income as well as undermine the peace, safety and stability of our nation. Therefore, we call on the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious drug and criminal related activities to law enforcement entities because it is only through active participation and collaboration that we can keep our communities safe, secure and drug free.
Source: DLEAG
