225.7 Kg Of Hashish Seized Before New Year’s Eve In Old Yundum And Brusubi

The Chronicle has learnt that before the big seizure of nearly three tons of cocaine, the agents of the Drug Law Enforcement Agency, The Gambia (DLEAG) operating in the Kombo North Divisional Command laid hand on huge quantities of hashish at old Yundum and Brusubi Phase one, respectively.

It all began when the special operation squad of DLEAG seized 26 blocks of cannabis resin weighing 12kg 150g at the residence of one Mr. Bai Modou Njie, a Gambian national and a resident of TAF Brufut Gardens on Thursday 10^th December 2020.

While arresting Njie, the anti-narcotics agents found a pistol with five live rounds with him. The initial DLEAG findings revealed that the hashish seized from Mr. Njie was sourced from a consignment of hashish hidden in Old Yundum.

The DLEAG consequently mounted a two day undercover operation which resulted to bigger catches on 20^th December 2020. All what the agents did after gathering intelligence from the arrest of Bai Modou Njie was spot the location of the hidden drug in Old Yundum and wait for the people coming to pick their share of the narcotics. It went successful when one Ebrima Bittaye arrived along with one Ousman Kanteh. The duo was nabbed with eight blocks they collected from a truck parked in the Old Yundum property. The search conducted thereafter helped the operatives to discover 396 blocks concealed in 11 wooden pallets, well arranged in a green Scania truck with Registration Number KM 7989 C parked in the same property.

Further probing into the matter, operatives recovered ninety eight 98 blocks at a residence in Brusbi Phase one. One Sedia Ndow occupies the said property.

In total the agents seized 502 blocks weighing 225 kg 760 g of hashish. According to the spokesperson of the DLEAG, Ousman Saidybah, the agency is yet to come across such an unprecedented catch of hashish in The Gambia.

The initial DLEAG investigations linked a Person of Interest who fled The Gambian jurisdiction. Unfortunately for him, Senegal’s Office central pour la répression du trafic illicite des stupéfiants (OCRTIS), the counterpart of Gambia’s DLEAG in Senegal spotted the fugitive in Dakar and arrested him on Tuesday 29th December 2020. He was then handed him over to Gambian authorities on Friday 1st January 2021.

The spokesperson of the DLEAG, Ousman Saidybah has confirmed the arrest of Ousman Kanteh (male, 30 year old), Sedia Ndow (male, 28 year old), and Ebrima Bittaye (male, 52 years). He has also confirmed that the investigation into the matter continues.