DLEAG Intensifies Crackdown on Drug Trafficking, Arrests 60 Suspects Nationwide

By JarranewsTV Staff Reporter

The Drug Law Enforcement Agency of The Gambia (DLEAG) has stepped up its nationwide campaign against drug trafficking and substance abuse, leading to the arrest of 60 suspects and the seizure of significant quantities of suspected ecstasy pills and cannabis across several regions of the country.
According to the agency, the operations were carried out as part of ongoing strategic efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks and curb the growing circulation and abuse of narcotic substances, particularly ecstasy.
Speaking to the media, DLEAG Public Relations Officer Dawda Sanyang disclosed that the suspects arrested included 57 Gambians alongside nationals from Senegal and Sierra Leone. Among those apprehended were 58 males and two females, including one alleged child offender.
Mr. Sanyang stated that the West Coast Region recorded the highest number of arrests with 36 suspects, followed by Kanifing Municipality with 20 arrests. Two suspects were arrested in the Central River Region, while the Lower River Region and North Bank Region recorded one arrest each.
Among the major operations conducted was the arrest of Ousman Demba, 30, Siat Jobe, 27, and Saffie Sanyang, 30, on 3 May 2026. The trio was allegedly found in possession of 7,081 pills of suspected ecstasy concealed in a transparent plastic bag and a blue travelling bag.
In another operation conducted on 30 April 2026, DLEAG officers arrested Kemo Drammeh, 41, of Bakoteh with 4,920 pills of suspected ecstasy. The pills were reportedly hidden in 11 transparent plastic bags concealed beneath the driver’s seat of a Mercedes-Benz vehicle bearing registration number BJL 1353 M.
The anti-drug agency also intercepted suspected cannabis traffickers during separate operations across the country.
On 29 April 2026, 21-year-old Buba Saidy of Sitta was arrested with 27 bundles of suspected cannabis sativa concealed in brown paper and packed inside two rice bags.
Similarly, on 28 April 2026, Omar Kanteh, 27, of Dimbaya was apprehended with 23 bundles of suspected cannabis sativa and four stones of suspected cannabis resin, commonly known as hashish. The suspected drugs were allegedly concealed in brown paper and transported inside two suitcases on a red motorcycle without a registration number.
In another case, Bakary Saho, 24, of Abuko was arrested on 3 May 2026 with eight wraps of suspected cannabis sativa hidden in white paper.
Meanwhile, DLEAG officers stationed at the Bullock checkpoint arrested Omar Manneh, a 21-year-old Senegalese national residing in Gibabiya, with two bundles of suspected cannabis sativa concealed in a black travelling bag.
The agency also confirmed the arrest of Bakary Camara, 41, and Ousman Njado, 23, both residents of Wulinkama, on 2 May 2026. The two suspects were allegedly found with one bundle of suspected cannabis sativa hidden inside a black travelling bag.
Dawda Sanyang said all suspects remain in custody as investigations continue into the various cases.
The latest operations underscore DLEAG’s intensified efforts to combat the illegal drug trade and protect communities from the harmful effects of narcotics and substance abuse in The Gambia.