Gambia: 12,000 Ecstasy Pills Seized As Dleag Sweeps Up 60 Suspects

11 May 2026
The Point (Banjul)
By Jankey Ceesay

The Drug Law Enforcement Agency, The Gambia (DLEAG) has arrested 60 suspects and seized more than 12,000 pills of ecstasy, over 73 bundles of suspected cannabis sativa and other prohibited drugs in what authorities described as a major nationwide crackdown on drug dealing, trafficking and abuse.

According to DLEAG, the operations were carried out as part of "strategic initiatives aimed at abating the drug situation particularly dealing, trafficking and abuse of ecstasy."

The agency said 57 of the suspects are Gambians, two Senegalese and one Sierra Leonean. Fifty-eight are males while two are females, including one alleged child offender.

DLEAG disclosed that 36 suspects were arrested in the West Coast Region, 20 within the Kanifing Municipality, two in the Central River Region, one in the Lower River Region and one in the North Bank Region.

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"The biggest ecstasy seizure came on 3rd May 2026 when officers arrested Ousman Demba, Siat Jobe and Saffie Sanyang with 7,081 pills of ecstasy allegedly concealed in a transparent plastic bag and inside a blue travelling bag.

Another major arrest involved Kemo Drammeh of Bakoteh, who was allegedly found with 4,920 pills of ecstasy hidden in 11 separate transparent plastic bags and under the driver's seat of a Mercedes Benz vehicle with registration number BJL 1353 M."

The agency stated several suspects were also arrested with suspected cannabis sativa, hashish, kush, molly and crack cocaine.

Buba Saidy of Sitta village was allegedly found with 27 bundles of suspected cannabis sativa, while Omar Kanteh of Dimbaya was arrested with 23 bundles of suspected cannabis sativa and four stones of suspected cannabis resin (hashish).

At Banni checkpoint, Senegalese national Alhassane Ba was allegedly found with six bundles of suspected cannabis sativa, while another Senegalese national, Omar Faye, was arrested at Jenoi checkpoint with three bundles of suspected cannabis sativa.

DLEAG also arrested Nancy Muhammed, a Sierra Leonean residing in Kololi, with two stones of suspected crack cocaine.

Other arrests involved suspects allegedly found with wraps, parcels and bundles of cannabis sativa, cannabis ruderalis known as skunk, hashish, molly, kush and cocaine in areas including Brikama, Kololi, Tallinding, Busumbala, Bakau, Bundung, Farato, Tanji, Bansang, Barra Ferry Terminal and New Jeshwang.

"All the suspects are currently under custody while further investigations into their respective matters continue. The operations form part of DLEAG's ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking and abuse across the country."

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