51 arrested in Gambia nationwide drug operations in October 2026
Gambia's Drug Law Enforcement Agency arrested 51 suspects in nationwide operations in October 2026, including two men held at Banjul Post Office with five parcels of suspected skunk. Officers also recovered cannabis sativa, kush and hashish alongside other drugs, with all 51 remaining in custody pending investigation.
🇬🇲 West Coast Region, Kanifing Municipality, North Bank Region, Banjul and Central River Region, The Gambia
The Drug Law Enforcement Agency of The Gambia arrested 51 suspected drug
offenders in nationwide enforcement operations.[1]Alagie Njie, 31, of Bakau
and Yasaye Ndure, 31, of Bijilo were arrested on 26 October 2026 at the Banjul
Post Office with five parcels of suspected cannabis ruderalis, commonly known as
skunk, concealed in a breadcrumb tin inside a carton.[2]All 51 suspects
remained in custody while investigations continued.[3]
Thirty suspects were arrested in the West Coast Region, 12 in Kanifing
Municipality, five in the North Bank Region, three in Banjul and one in the
Central River Region.[3]The operations also led to the recovery of suspected
cocaine, crack cocaine, crystal methamphetamine and ecstasy, as well as various
quantities of suspected cannabis sativa, kush, hashish, molly and skunk.[3]The suspected drugs were recovered in various forms, including wraps, parcels,
stones and sachets.[3]Saikou Sanyang, 28, of Tanji was arrested on 20 October
with 51 parcels of suspected cannabis sativa and 81 pieces of suspected kush.[2]Ousman Saidy, 34, and Ismaila Darboe, 36, both residents of Tanji, were
arrested on 28 October with 93 wraps of suspected cannabis sativa, 85 pieces of
suspected kush and additional cannabis.[2]Three men from Pirang, Seedy Sonko,
33, Ebrima Gibba, 27, and Hadim Sonko, 24, were arrested on 14 October for
allegedly obstructing officers in the execution of their duties.[3]
DLEAG warned the public against obstructing or interfering with its officers and
urged citizens to cooperate, advising anyone who believes an officer acted
improperly to seek redress through legal channels.[3]
Case data
Every number and detail the sources state, with the sources that state it.
No cannabis weight was published, only counts of parcels, wraps, pieces, stones and sachets, so no kilograms can be recorded.
The Voice lists molly alongside cannabis sativa, kush, hashish and skunk, but molly is not treated here as cannabis and its quantity is not counted.
The incident date uses the latest dated arrest on 28 October 2026, while the operations spanned 14 to 28 October and were announced on 30 October 2026.
The Point says the three Pirang men were arrested during the arrest of Muhammed Camara, while The Voice describes the obstruction more generally.
Left out, as its quotation was not found in The Point: The 51 comprised 48 Gambians and three Senegalese nationals aged 16 to 42, including 50 males and one female with one 16-year-old child offender.
Brikama Magistrates' Court convicted three government van drivers on 8 October 2026 after DLEAG found 44 kg 402 g of cannabis in their ministry vehicle at Kalagi on 26 August 2026. Each was fined D350,000 with a five-year default prison term; two paid part of the fine and one was remanded.
On 28 February and 1 March 2026, a joint operation at Jinack Nigi and Jinack Kajata destroyed 60 cannabis farms and burned 14 bags of cannabis, according to the information minister. The Point reported no arrests but gave a two-day breakdown that totals 50 farms.
DLEAG uncovered two cannabis plantations near Sawma Kunda in October 2025 and arrested nine people, including 60-year-old village alkalo Momodou Camara and two children aged 15 and 17. Interrogation of suspect Essa Jawo led officers to the remaining suspects; two motorcycles were recovered.
The Gambia's Drug Law Enforcement Agency arrested eight men in a pre-dawn operation on 8 February 2025 in Nyangbolong, Foni Bintang District, and seized more than 200 bundles of suspected cannabis, 13 containers of cannabis seeds and three unlicensed hunting rifles. The agency said the operation targeted cannabis cultivators and dealers, and the suspects were in custody while it investigated.
