By Seedy Jobe
Nine people were detained late Monday during a police operation in the North Bank Region, as the authorities intensified efforts to curb irregular migration and related crimes, the Gambia Police Force said.
The operation, conducted on Feb. 23, was led by Inspector RSM M. Corr after officers received what the police described as credible intelligence about a group assembled at a compound in Essau Sami, under circumstances suspected to be linked to plans for irregular migration.
In a statement, the police said the individuals apprehended included nationals of Guinea and Senegal. They are being held at the Essau Model Police Station and are expected to be handed over to the Gambia Immigration Department for further processing.
“Preliminary screening indicates that those intercepted include nationals from West African countries,” the statement said, adding that the detainees had undergone verification procedures and were confirmed to be migrants.
The raid forms part of what the police described as a sustained strategy to disrupt irregular migration networks, reinforce border security, and prevent vulnerable people from undertaking what officials called dangerous and life-threatening journeys.
Investigations are continuing to identify and arrest any agents or facilitators who may have organized or supported the attempted migration, the police said.
The force also praised residents of the North Bank Region for their cooperation, reaffirming its commitment to intelligence-led policing aimed at protecting lives and property.
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