At a press briefing held last week, the Public Relations Officer of the Gambia Immigration Department (GID), Sima Lowe, presented an extensive report detailing the department’s latest interception and investigation activities covering the period from 2 October to 3 November 2025.
The report highlights several high-profile interceptions, arrests, and repatriations linked to irregular migration and smuggling operations across different parts of the country.
In one of the earliest operations on October 2, immigration officers in Barra intercepted 39 migrants, including 34 Gambians and 5 Senegalese, among them a pregnant woman. The group, reportedly preparing to move toward Mbollet-Ba, was later transported to Tanji for further processing.
Just days later, on October 6, another group of six male migrants, five Senegalese and one Gambian was intercepted at the Barra Ferry Terminal after confessing that they were awaiting a contact person to facilitate their movement. On the same day, a fuel smuggling case was uncovered in the Tanji–Gunjur–Kartong axis involving a vehicle loaded with various fuel containers and D40,000 in cash. Two suspects, Wuyeh Sanneh and Cheikh Aidara, were apprehended.
Subsequent operations revealed an expanding network of recruiters and traffickers. On October 7, authorities intercepted 34 migrants linked to recruiters identified as Baye Pol, Musay, and Babacarr, while naval intervention prevented a boat carrying over 300 migrants from setting sail.
Other significant interceptions occurred in Jeshwang, Mamuda, Tanji, Batokunku, and Kubuneh, involving dozens of migrants of different nationalities, including Gambians, Senegalese, Guineans and Pakistanis. Investigations indicated that payments for the illegal journeys were often sent through mobile transfer platforms such as Wave, with recruiters operating from Senegal and Spain.
A major breakthrough came on October 20, when GID officers arrested Wuyeh Sanneh, a key suspect linked to several smuggling operations in Batokunku. Items seized included boat engines, fuel, and motorbikes. Sanneh has been recommended for prosecution.
In a related development, 40 Gambian returnees from Mauritania were repatriated on October 22 after being stranded at the Rosso border due to coordination challenges.
Further interceptions followed in Salagi and Barra, where dozens of migrants were stopped, including 47 Guineans, ten of them minors. Suspected harbourers and organisers were identified as Momodou Secka, Pap, Alieu, Mustapha, and Foday, among others.
The operations culminated in one of the largest interceptions on November 2, when 82 migrants were stopped in Batokunku. Two suspects, Abdou Joof and Ebrima Njie, were arrested, and authorities recovered radio sets, a pistol, and a boat to be used for the attempted voyage.
In another smuggling case, Adama Khan and Alieu Diop were apprehended for coordinating the movement of 240 migrants from Sami, with payments made in both Gambian dalasis and CFA francs.
According to PRO Lowe, these operations underscore GID’s unwavering commitment to curbing irregular migration, dismantling smuggling networks, and ensuring the safety and protection of migrants within and beyond Gambian borders.
