Africa-Press – Gambia. The Director General of the Drug Law Enforcement Agency, The Gambia (DLEAG), Demba Ceesay, has disclosed that the majority of individuals involved in drug-related cases in 2024 were Gambian nationals. Speaking during World Drug Day commemorations on Thursday, DG Ceesay revealed that of the 1,219 individuals apprehended in connection with 1,208 drug-related cases, 1,014 were Gambians while 205 were foreign nationals.
“If you look at figures, there is no illusion that Gambians for the most part are the ones involved in drugs in this country,” Ceesay said.
He noted that the agency’s operations between 1st January and 31st December 2024 led to the apprehension of individuals from multiple nationalities. Among the 205 foreign nationals arrested were citizens of Senegal, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Conakry, Mali, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Portugal.
“One thousand two hundred and eight (1208) drug-related cases. One thousand and fourteen (1014) of the arrestees were Gambians and the remaining two hundred and five (205) were foreign nationals. The foreign nationals arrested comprise Senegalese, Sierra Leoneans, Nigerians, Bissau Guineans, Conakry Guineans, Malians, a Zimbabwean, a Ghanaian, a Moroccan, an Ivorian, an Egyptian, a Pakistani, British Nationals, Americans, and Portuguese Nationals,” he said.
Providing a breakdown of the timeline, Ceesay said 503 cases were registered between January and June, while 705 were recorded between July and December, reflecting a 42% increase in interdiction activities during the latter half of the year.
Cannabis remains the most frequently seized drug, accounting for 54.7% of all cases. However, other substances such as kush, methamphetamine, and hashish also contributed significantly, representing 14.3%, 9%, and 9.5% of the total seizures, respectively.
“Although cannabis is dominant, drugs like kush, Methamphetamine, and hashish still account for a significant number of cases (14.3%, 9%, and 9.5%, respectively),” he said.
Ceesay also highlighted recent institutional reforms aimed at enhancing prosecution efficiency. He explained that in July 2024, the agency reviewed the operations of its Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Affairs to fast-track case processing. As a result, prosecutions increased significantly, with 207 cases successfully tried in 2024—77 in the first half of the year and 130 in the second half—marking a 92% rise in prosecutions in the latter part of the year.
“Consequently, the directorate was tasked to judiciously expedite cases as soon as interdictions are made. That too paid dividend as returns of prosecution rose significantly with the Agency successfully prosecuting 207 in 2024: 77 (January to 30th June 2024) and 130 (July to December 31st, 2024), thus indicating a record 92% increase in prosecution in the second half of the year,” DG Ceesay said.
For More News And Analysis About Gambia Follow Africa-Press
