A Gambian-French businessman, Banta Keita, the owner of a seized container with cocaine worth over D4.5 billion is on the run, police said. 

Gambia law enforcement officers on Friday seized three tonnes of cocaine from a shipment of industrial salt in Banjul port, the largest ever drug busts in the country. 

The 118 bags of cocaine were discovered during a search of a container ship that originated from Ecuador and transited in  Spain. 

The container is owned by Banta Keita, a Gambian businessman with dual French nationality. 

Police have launched a manhunt and appealed to the public for their assistance in locating the whereabouts of the fugitive businessman. 

“We strongly advise the general public to be vigilant and solicit their cooperation to provide information on whereabout of Mr BANTA KEITA to the nearest DLEAG/Police Station. 

“The public is reminded that offering any type assistance to Mr Keita to escape or harboring him amount to a criminal offence as provided the Drug Control Act, 2003,” police said in a statement. 

Sheriff Njie an accomplice is in custody helping police in their investigation. 

Police say they believed the seized drugs were not for the Gambian market and that west Africa has become a transit point for international drug cartels. 

“This seizure is yet another confirmation that The Gambia like other West African States continue to be as storage and transit route for cocaine by international organized criminal groups. 

“Certainly, these drugs is not destined for the Gambia, thus not for local consumption,” police authorities said.