Customs
officers in Basse and other sister security personnel at Naymanar border post
have arrested a 45-year-old Guinean national while trying to smuggle some
dozens of fake drugs into The Gambia.
Upper
River Region Customs Manager Buba Ceesay confirmed the arrest of Fatoumatta
Lamarana Jallow, saying she is presently in custody helping them in their
investigations.
He
said regional customs officers and medical control agencies mounted a massive
screening on vehicles coming from Guinea and caught the culprit with the fake
drugs when her bag was screened.
“Her
arrest demonstrates the strong collaboration between regional security
personnel to ensure that criminals are brought before the law,” Mr Ceesay said.
Regional
health director and head of medicine inspection, Lamin Ceesay said the lady’s
smuggling of drugs into The Gambia was illegal because she is not licensed to
import medicines into the country under the provision of medicine laws.
He
said after the final investigation and inventory, custom officers will hand
over Madam Jallow to the police.
Regional
governor Fanta B.S. Manneh urged border security personnel to always be on
standby to ensure that similar incidences are defeated.
She
commended border security personnel for their strong collaboration and called
on the ECOWAS Commission responsible for drugs to help fully communicate to all
West African states in tackling drug trafficking within the continent.
