The 37 arrested include Gambians, Senegalese, Sierra Leoneans, and Guinean nationals. According to the immigration department officials, these people were asked to assemble in Tanji and Gunjur and were supposed to be picked up by a boat from Senegal. When intelligence of the operation reached the security agents, a trap was set, and they were found ad arrested at the waiting place.
Gambia Immigration Department PRO Mamanding S. Dibba, the boat was coming from Senegal and it was supposed to passthrough The Gambia to pick this people at secret locations on the Coast of Tanjeh and Gunjur but prior to the arrival of the boat we got the information and in a timely manner we were abled to hit up those targets arresting these people. These migrants according to the investigations so far have paid huge amount of money ranging from 25,000 dalasis (US$489) to the 45,000 dalasis (US$880).
One of them revealed to the investigators that he has paid about 900 dollars to be able to embark on the journey but the agent said that amount is not enough and they have to go to his house to take some household items to cover up the cost that he needs to pay for the journey.
The first art of the investigations has so far revealed that one agent by the name Sutay Marong has been arrested and he is currently helping the investigators with work. The rest of the team behind this whole thing are still at large.
Out of the 37 people arrested, 2 of them are Sierra Leonean women, previously in Kuwait who were in contact with the so-called agent Sutay Marong. Speaking to QTV off-camera, the two women said they left Kuwait for the Gambia specifically to make the journey to Spain.
Immigration PRO Dibba Supt. Mamanding S. Dibba, we want to call on the General Public once again that we need to avoid irregular migration we at the Gambia Immigration Department are not against people to travel to Europe but we want people to travel in an orderly and a safe way because this backway journeys are very risky and most often these journeys lead to loss of lives and properties. For example, the number of young lives we have here may God forbid if there is any accident at sea, we are going to loss a lot of young valuable lives.
According to the authorities, investigations into the matter will continue and those arrested will be released on bail for now. A eye will follow this story with keen interest and the public will be informed of progress.
BY: Baboucarr Sey