By Makutu Manneh
The Gambia Immigration Department said it intercepted a boat believed to have been prepared for an irregular migration journey to Europe during an operation in Badibou Gurong, in the North Bank Region.
The operation was carried out by the department’s Border Patrol Unit after Gambian authorities received intelligence from their Senegalese counterparts about suspected migrant-smuggling activity in the area, according to the department.
Acting on the information, officers located and intercepted the boat while it was anchored at Bamba Tenda in Badibou Gurong.
Authorities recovered supplies and equipment believed to have been intended for the journey, including 10 barrels of fuel, two boat engines, 104 gallons of fuel, a gasoline-powered water pump, nine ropes, and 24 gallons of water.
Officers also found two bags of gari, a bag of sugar, and a packet of biscuits, the department said.
“The intercepted boat, together with the recovered items, was subsequently transported to the relevant unit for onward processing and further investigation,” the Immigration Department said in a statement.
The department did not say whether any arrests were made during the operation or how many people, if any, had been expected to board the vessel.
The interception comes as Gambian authorities continue efforts to curb irregular migration along the country’s coastline and waterways, which have long been used as departure points for migrants attempting the perilous journey to Europe, commonly known in The Gambia as the “backway.”
The Immigration Department said it remained committed to combating irregular migration and disrupting migrant-smuggling networks while promoting what it described as safe, orderly, and regular migration.
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