MAJOR COCAINE “CATCH” IN GAMBIA

 Lebanese Timber Factory Transformed Into A Cocaine Zone

As Joint Security Team Raid Led Land Proprietor In Trouble

By Staff Reporter Bakary Gibba, Banjul

The impoverished nation of the Gambia is gradually becoming a safe-haven for drug cartel networks—notably drug dealers from South America, Guinea Bissau, and the country’s indigenous local citizens who used the West African country to traffic cocaine and other dangerous drugs, the Freedom Newspaper can report. A massive joint security operation Friday, June 4^th led to the confiscation of a huge consignment of cocaine—that was hidden at Muktharr Trading Store—situated between Bonto village and Pirang in the Kombo East District, West Region of the Gambia, intelligence sources said.

Muktharr Trading, is engaged in timber sale in The Gambia. The company is owned by a Lebanese born business tycoon Mr. Muktharr. Mr. Muktaharr is a close associate of President Yahya Jammeh. His company is partly responsible for the country’s dwindling flora and fauna.

The raiding team which consist of Military, police, NIA and officials of the National Drug Enforcement Agency—known as (NDEA) received a tip off that a large consignment of cocaine were hidden at the Muktaharr timber factory. This led to the confiscation of the drugs. Although, no one has claimed ownership of the confiscated cocaine, investigators said.

The owner of the timber factory is helping police with their investigators. He has denied having knowledge about the said cocaine even though it was found in his business property, police said.

The Friday raid, said a member of the raiding team  is one of the country’s biggest cocaine catch ever in the history of the Jammeh administration. The official said he suspects that there is a bigger network infiltrating Banjul as a drug transit point.

“ The proprietor of the Muktaharr company is very close to the President. I’m  sure the President would be upset to learn that Mr. Muktaharr’s factory has been transformed into a cocaine zone.  We are still trying to gather bit and pieces as to the whereabouts of those responsible for smuggling of the large quantity of cocaine into the country,” said a source close to the team investigating the incident.

According to our source “cocaine is now rampant in the Gambia. We have more cocaine in this country than marijuana. This is a disturbing situation. Someone out there is benefiting from the cocaine trafficking. There are powerful officials involved in the deal, that I can confirm to you.”  

It would be recalled the arrest of the former anti narcotic chief, and other NDEA officials led to the discovery of the cocaine zones across the country.

Of recent at Kuloro in the same area, some high profile arrests were made.   The Eco-Tourist Centre Sita Joyeh was raided and some Spanish and Gambian Nationals were rounded up who were accused of cocaine trafficking.