By Olimatou Coke
The Drug Law Enforcement Agency, DLEAG yesterday confirmed they have successfully intercepted a huge quantity of cannabis resin (hashish) at Old Yundum, Brusubi Phase one and Brufut Gardens.
According to officials, the seizure in fact happened before the cocaine incident at the port last week.
“The seizure happened after 48 hours of a diligent undercover operation, resulting in the seizure 502 blocks weighing 225kg and 760g of hashish. This is unprecedented and a landmark in the history of the agency’s success and The Gambia as a country,” NDLEA official said.
Three suspects; Ebrima Bittaye, Ousman Kanteh and Sedia Ndow were arrested and helping with the investigations. Bittaye was allegedly nabbed with 8 blocks that he came to collect from a lorry parked inside a property located at Old Yundum.
“Subsequently, operatives discovered 396 blocks concealed in 11 wooden pallets in a green Scania truck with Registration Number KM 7989 C parked in the same property.
Further probing into the matter, operatives recovered 98 blocks at a residence in Brusubi Phase 1 occupied by one Sedia Ndow,” NDLEA spokesman Ousman Saidy-bah said.
He added that initial investigations linked to a Person of Interest (POI) who fled to Senegal but was arrested by their counterpart in Dakar on 29 December and handed over on Friday 1 January.
The NDLEA spokesman further disclosed that before this, the special operation squad of DLEAG seized 26 blocks of cannabis resin (hashish) weighing 12kg 150g at the residence of one Mr. Bai Modou Njie. Mr. Njie, he went on, is a Gambian resident at TAF Brufut Gardens and he was also found with a pistol with five live rounds which were taken from him. “Initial findings revealed that the hashish seized from Mr. Njie was sourced from the consignment seized on 20 December,” Saidybah said.
