The cocaine was discovered on Thursday during a search of a container shipped from the port of Guayaquil in Ecuador and through Algeciras in Spain, and then to the country.
“UDP has learned that it is the largest drug seizure in our nation’s history, reportedly over 2 tonnes of cocaine with a street value of over US$88 million. Although journalists have named the consignee of the shipment, the Gambia Police Force has not officially confirmed this. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that the Gambian Port is used for smuggling drugs by international criminal cartels,” Ousainou Darboe, the UDP leader said in a statement.
“This is extremely concerning to the UDP because it makes the Gambia vulnerable to infiltration by international organised crime groups, seeing how weak the Gambia’s security infrastructure is at the ports of entry, to target the Gambia as a weak link in the global efforts to combat trans boundary criminal enterprises that rely on their vast criminal networks that are active in money laundering and terrorists financing.”
“Therefore the UDP urgently calls on the Gambia Government to conduct a swift and thorough investigation into the matter and to urgently review the security protocols at Gambia Ports Authority in respect of all shipments bound for Banjul.”
