The Drug Law Enforcement Agency (DLEAG) has said that its officers seized over four tonnes of cannabis from suspected drug traffickers between 2017 and 2018. 

DLEAG made the disclosure in its latest update on the seizure of illegal drugs in The Gambia: 

“For cannabis sativa the agency seized two tonnes and 563 kilograms, 213 grams and 416 milligrams in 2017 and two tonnes, 983 kilograms, 504 grams and 271 milligrams in 2018.

“For cocaine, the agency seized 624 grams and 748 milligrams in 2017 and 1 kilogram, 73 grams and 545 milligrams in 2018. 

“For hashish we seized 1 kilogram, 237 grams and 243 milligrams in 2017 and 1 kilogram, 941 grams and 222 milligrams in 2018.

“For heroin, we seized 34 grams and 800 milligrams in 2017 and 5 grams, 400 milligrams in 2018. All these mentioned drugs are prohibited drugs as per the schedules of the Drug Control Act 2003.

“We also seized 57 tablets of Bronazepam, 35 tablets of clonazepam, 24 tablets of Diazepam, 10 tablets of lorazepam and 298 grams 90 milligrams in 2017 and in 2018, we seized 299 tablets of clonazepam, 60 tablets of lorazepam and 3 samples of delonazepams,” it said.

The agency said in total: “126 psychotropic substances (controlled drugs) excluding 298 grams, 90 milligrams of methamphetamine was seized in 2017 and 359 psychotropic substances (controlled drugs) excluding 3 ample of delonazepam was seized in 2018.

“The seizure statistics indicate an increase in the seizure of cannabis, cocaine, hashish, clonazepam and lorazepam while it shows a downward trend in the seizure of heroin and delonazepam. 

“On the number of cases registered and persons arrested in 2028, the agency reported 668 cases involving 686 persons.”

On the nationality of the suspected drug traffickers, the agency said “610 were Gambians representing 89 percent, 47 Senegalese representing 7 percent, 8 British nationals representing 1.2 percent, 1 Sierra Leonean, 8 Bissau Guinean, 1 Ivorian, 4 Nigerians, 1 Dutch, 1 Italian, 1 Finnish national, 1 Lebanese, 2 Guineans (Conakry) and 1 German.”

Reporting by Adama Makasuba