By: Modou Touray
The Gambia Immigration Department (GID), in collaboration with Senegalese border authorities, has disrupted a suspected Smuggling of Migrants (SOM) operation following intelligence received about possible irregular migration activities between The Gambia and Senegal.
The intelligence was shared with the Senegalese Border Police at Karang, prompting an investigation that led to the arrest of three individuals by Senegalese authorities. Among them was Musa Ndong, a 61-year-old Senegalese national from Basulle, Senegal.
During interrogation by the Senegalese Brigade at Karang, Musa Ndong disclosed that the migrants, boat engine, and fuel intended for the journey were hidden in Senegal, while the boat had been concealed in The Gambia. Considering the possibility that the journey could occur at any moment, authorities deemed it necessary to take urgent action to disrupt the operation.
On Sunday, 15 March 2026, the suspect was escorted from Karang to Amdalai by the GID Border Patrol Unit and later handed over to the Migration Management Unit (MMU) Headquarters at the Banjul Ferry Terminal.
He subsequently guided investigators to Kartong in the West Coast Region, where officers discovered a large wooden boat hidden near the coastline, believed to have been intended for the suspected irregular migration journey. The boat has since been secured and placed under the custody of the GID.
Following the operation, the suspect was escorted back to Karang and handed over to Senegalese authorities to face possible criminal charges.
The operation was conducted under existing ECOWAS cross-border cooperation protocols, highlighting the continued collaboration between The Gambia and Senegal in combating migrant smuggling and other transnational crimes.
