The Gambia Immigration Department (GID) has clarified that passports recently seized by Canadian authorities and described as “fraudulent passports from The Gambia” were not issued by the country’s official authorities.

In a statement, the department said it had taken note of a 14 April 2026 release by the Canada Border Services Agency, which reported the seizure of five passports bearing identical photographs but different identities — a key indicator of counterfeit documentation.

The GID stressed that references to “fraudulent passports from The Gambia” relate only to the documents’ purported origin or appearance, and should not be interpreted as evidence that they were produced by the department.

“The Gambia Immigration Department remains the sole legally mandated body responsible for issuing Gambian passports,” the statement noted, adding that all official documents are generated through secure and verifiable systems.

It concluded that the passports cited in the Canadian report were counterfeit reproductions and not part of its official issuance.

The department further disclosed that its Intelligence and Investigation Unit has initiated contact with Canadian authorities to establish the full circumstances surrounding the seizure and to support ongoing investigations into transnational document fraud.

Reaffirming its commitment to international standards, the GID said its passport system complies with protocols set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), with safeguards designed to protect the integrity of Gambian travel documents.

The department also pledged continued cooperation with global law enforcement partners in the fight against document fraud and irregular migration.