A British man who disguised himself as a philanthropist is facing deportation after being arrested for trafficking illegal drugs into the country.

Leon Washington Thayard Hall was convicted in 2021 for trafficking drugs into the country. He was later pardoned after settling his charge.

However, he was arrested again by operatives of the Drug Law Enforcement Agency with his Gambian business partner Bubacarr Darboe after their cannabis firm was raided. 

Officers found a total of 79 plants, 4 packets, 2 plastics and some quantities of suspected skunk cannabis and 1 wrap of Moroccan hashish.

DLEAG spokesman, Ousman Saidy-bah, said the British man was previously arrested in 2021 for similar crimes.

“We must remain firm and send a strong signal that The Gambia is a hostile territory to illicit drug traffickers and their patrons. As such, Leon and his ilk who are hell-bent on destroying our society by poisoning our youth with such illicit products should be deported from the country after serving their time to send a strong signal to others who may want to abuse our hospitality,” he told Gambiana.

Drug trafficking is a major crime under the laws of The Gambia and punishable by up to life in prison or a hefty fine of a million dalasi.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba