The Joal-Fadiouth gendarmerie brigade arrested, Thursday evening, 25 individuals who were preparing to attempt an illegal crossing to Europe from Mbodiène beach, in the commune of Ngueniène, according to a security source.
A Report-Based Intervention
Alerted by information reporting a suspicious gathering in an uninhabited house near Mbodiène Plage, the police carried out an operation which resulted in the arrest of these 25 irregular emigration candidates around 9 p.m. .
Among those arrested were 23 Senegalese and 2 Guineans. The majority, 22 individuals, come from the Tambacounda region (east), while another is from Kolda (south).
Significant Amounts Paid to Smugglers
According to the first elements of the investigation, the candidates had paid sums of between 350,000 and 900,000 CFA francs to finance their perilous journey. These funds were intended for smugglers, responsible for taking them aboard a canoe heading for Europe.
An Open Investigation to Dismantle the Network
The people arrested are currently in police custody, and an investigation has been opened to identify the organizers of this irregular emigration network. The authorities thus hope to dismantle the clandestine circuits which continue to endanger the lives of many young people trying to reach Europe at the risk of their lives.
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