The suspects are under the custody of security personnel as investigation into the matter continues.
Ousman Saidybah, the spokesperson of the narcotics agency who was contacted for comments has confirmed the development, saying: "As the Agency intensifies supply suppression related interdiction regimes aimed at countering drug abuse, illicit drug trafficking and related transnational organised crime, operatives of DLEAG alongside personnel of The Gambia Immigration Department (GID) conducted a sting operations that led to the arrest of twenty (20) Nigerian Nationals suspected to be engaged in online scanning, documentation fraud and other forms of criminal related activities. "
"Fifteen of the suspects were arrested with twenty-three (23) laptops and eighteen (18) mobile phones at Wullinkama while the remaining five (5) suspects were clutched at Coastal Road with two (2) laptops and ten (10) mobile phones. Both operations were conducted simultaneously on Thursday 27th June 2024."
"Operatives also discovered a red plastic containing some quantities of suspected skunk cannabis."
The suspects, he went on, were taken into custody and charged for joint possession of a prohibited drug. "The mater concerning suspected online scamming and documentation fraud will be forwarded to The Gambia Police Force and GID for further investigations and necessary actions that will be informed by the outcome of their investigations."
"It is noteworthy to mention that this is not the first time that operatives stumble upon foreign nationals suspected of being involved in criminal related matters while acting on tip off information on drug related activities."
"DLEAG operatives alongside GID officers with back up support from the PIU arrested forty-nine (49) Sierra Leoneans, one (1) Nigerian and one (1) Nigerian National suspected to be engaged in criminal related activities at Faraba in the West Coast Region."
"Prior to this incident, DLEAG operatives had sometime in March 2022 nabbed thirteen (13) Nigerian nationals who were equally suspected to be engaged in online scamming with eighteen (18) laptops, nineteen (19) mobile phones, one (1) router and thirteen (13) passports."
