Rédaction Africa Links 24 with babucarr balajo
Published on 2024-03-22 09:39:00
The Drug Law Enforcement Agency of The Gambia (DLEAG) recently released a report highlighting the alarming increase in drug-related arrests in the country. According to the agency, a total of 539 Gambians were arrested with drugs in 2023, with a total of 623 cases involving 633 accused persons. Out of these, 539 were Gambian nationals and 94 were non-Gambians.
The report mentioned that the drugs involved in these cases included heroin, methamphetamine, clonazepam, ecstasy, tramadol, and diazepam. Comparing the statistics to the previous year, there was a slight decrease in the total number of cases and arrests. However, the number of non-Gambian nationals arrested increased from 87 in 2022 to 94 in 2023.
From the total of 94 foreign nationals arrested in 2023, the breakdown revealed that 33 were Senegalese, seven were Bissau-Guineans, four were Guineans, nine were Nigerians, and so on. Sierra Leoneans and Senegalese nationals made up the majority of foreign nationals arrested, with significant increases in the number of Sierra Leonean nationals compared to the previous year.
The report also provided demographics of the arrestees, showing that 4% were below the age of 18, 74% were between 18 and 35 years old, and 22% were above the age of 35. The majority of the arrestees were male, constituting 96.68% of the total arrests.
In addition to drug-related arrests, DLEAG also reported cases of individuals being apprehended for possessing firearms without the necessary licenses or authorizations. Between January and December 2023, the agency seized nine firearms, including pistols, hunting guns, and rubber bullet pistols. These cases were handed over to the Gambia Police Force for further investigation and action.
Some notable cases included the arrest of a Senegalese national with an MOD 85 automatic pistol and 17 live rounds, a Bissau-Guinean/Portuguese national found with a hunting gun, and a Gambian-American arrested with a new pistol and 100 live rounds. The report also highlighted successful prosecutions, with 152 cases resulting in 132 convictions and 21 acquittals across the country.
Overall, the report shed light on the challenges faced by DLEAG in combating drug trafficking and illegal firearm possession in The Gambia. The agency continues to work diligently to tackle these issues and improve public safety in the country.
Read the original article on The Standard
