By Olimatou Coker
Demba Ceesay, the director general of the Drug Law Enforcement Agency, has disclosed that 1,208 drug related cases were registered in 2024 resulting in the arrest of 1,219 persons.
Speaking during the commemoration of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking at PIA offices in Bakau yesterday, Ceesay said 1,014 of those arrested were Gambians.
“Out of the 1,208 cases last year, 503 were registered between January and June while 705 were registered between July and December, representing a 42% increase in interdiction in the second half of 2024. One tonne, 923kg, 896g, and 581mg of Cannabis sativa was seized; 2 tonnes, 254kg, 392g was seized on plantations,” he detailed.
He said over 14kg of cannabis resin (hashish); over 48kg of Cannabis ruderalis (skunk); over 13kg of Skunk, over 125kg of cocaine, cannabis gummies black chip, chocolate, vapes, crystal, Clonazepam, MDMA, Tramadol, Molly, Diazepam, and Gabadol tablets and powders were also seized.
He said the seizure statistics indicate that cannabis is the most prevalent drug accounting for 54.7% of all cases but, drugs like Kush, methamphetamine, and hashish account for a significant number of cases (14.3%, 9%, and 9.5%, respectively).
DG Ceesay said in July 2024, his team reviewed the prosecution processes of the Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Affairs and it was tasked to judiciously expedite cases as soon as interdictions are made.
“That,” he said, “paid dividend as returns of prosecution rose significantly with the agency successfully prosecuting 207 in 2024: 77 from January to June 2024 and 130 from July to December in 2024, indicating a record 92% increase in prosecution in the second half of the year”.
Weekly update
DLEAG Spokesman Ousman Saidybah confirmed to The Standard that 15 people were arrested and three convicted last week,
Saidybah said the 15 arrested were all male, 12 being Gambians and three, Senegalese.
He explained: “The cumulative quantities of drugs seized for the reporting period equates to the following breakdown: five bundles, 11 parcels, 250 wraps, two smoking joints of Cannabis sativa; fifty-four pieces and one wrap of Kush; twenty-nine wraps of Skunk; four medical plastics and five pieces; 315 Ecstasy pills; a quantity of crack cocaine and so forth.
“During the reporting period, the agency filed three new drug cases of possession of a prohibited drug contrary to Section 35 of the DCA 2003. Equally, DLEAG successfully prosecuted three drug related cases. Two of the cases relate to possession of a prohibited drug contrary to Section 35 of the DCA 2003 and the remaining case was a drug trafficking matter contrary to Section 43 of the Act.
The cases were determined at the Brikama and Bundung magistrates courts.
