Gambia Police Arrest 19 Sierra Leoneans in Brusubi Raid
Ben Bassey Police in The Gambia’s West Coast Region have arrested nineteen suspected Sierra Leonean nationals during an operation at an uncompleted building in Brusubi.
The operation, carried out by the Lower West Coast Region Task Force on Tuesday, 28 July 2026, followed information from a member of the public about suspicious activities at the premises. Officers found the suspects inside the building, with some reportedly attempting to flee upon the arrival of law enforcement.
The suspects are currently in custody at Brusubi Police Station as screening and investigations continue.
The arrest comes amid heightened police vigilance in the West Coast Region. Previous operations in the area have targeted various criminal activities, including a coordinated raid in Brikama Dirimakolon in March 2026 that also resulted in the arrest of 19 individuals .
In February 2024, Commissioner Pateh Bah, head of the Regional Crime Office for Kanifing Municipality, told journalists that police statistics indicate a substantial number of crimes in The Gambia are committed by foreign nationals. Commissioner Bah stated that “most of these incidents involved foreigners and not Gambians,” adding that “probably, most of these crimes are imported, or the ideas are imported”.