By Makutu Manneh
The Gambia Immigration Department said Thursday that it had intercepted 20 people attempting to migrate irregularly through the country, in the latest operation aimed at disrupting migrant smuggling networks that use The Gambia as a transit point.
The migrants were intercepted on July 9 by officers from the department’s Border Patrol Unit stationed at the Tanji Migration Management Unit, according to a statement issued by the department.
The group comprised four Gambians, eleven Senegalese, four Guineans, and one Sierra Leonean. Immigration authorities said the migrants included 19 males and one minor.
The department did not provide details about the migrants’ intended destination, whether any suspected smugglers had been arrested, or what legal or administrative measures would follow the interception.
In its statement, the Immigration Department said the operation reflected its continued efforts to prevent migrant smugglers and human traffickers from using Gambian territory as a corridor for irregular migration.
“The Department remains resolute in its efforts to combat irregular migration, strengthen border security, and safeguard national security through sustained operational vigilance,” the statement said.
The interception comes as Gambian authorities continue to intensify border surveillance and migration management operations amid persistent regional migration flows across West Africa. The Gambia has long served as both a country of origin and a transit route for migrants seeking to reach North Africa and, ultimately, Europe through irregular migration routes.
The Immigration Department has in recent months stepped up patrols and interdiction operations along key migration corridors, saying such measures are intended to curb human trafficking, dismantle smuggling networks, and enhance national border security.
Comments are closed.