The National Division for the Fight against Migrant Trafficking and Related Practices (DNLT) has arrested seven people involved in an attempted illegal immigration by sea.

The operation that led to these arrests follows the interception of a makeshift boat by the Senegalese Navy. The canoe was seized off the coast of Sangomar, approximately 50 nautical miles off the Gambian coast, in the Senegalese border area.

This maritime intervention is part of the reinforced surveillance system put in place by the Senegalese authorities to combat illegal departures to Europe, which are particularly dangerous during this period.

147 migrants of six different nationalities

The boat was carrying a total of 147 would-be irregular migrants, revealing the scale of the migration phenomenon in the West African sub-region. The breakdown by nationality shows the diversity of origins: 83 Senegalese, 29 Gambians, 23 Guineans, nine Malians, two Ghanaians, and one Ivorian.

Among these migrants, there are 125 men, 20 women and 12 minors, including two girls, highlighting the vulnerability of certain passengers and the risks faced by particularly fragile people.

An organized network dismantled

Investigations conducted by the DNLT have revealed the existence of a structured network organizing illegal emigration. The intercepted migrants confirmed that they had been recruited by two individuals identified as the main organizers of this trafficking.

These "smugglers" charged between 300,000 CFA francs and 600,000 CFA francs per person for their services, generating considerable profits at the expense of often desperate would-be migrants. This price range also reveals a form of economic discrimination in accessing these dangerous routes.

Seven crew members identified

Following the interrogations, investigators were able to identify seven individuals among the migrants as members of the crew responsible for steering the boat. These people, initially presented as simple passengers, played an active role in organizing and carrying out the clandestine journey.

The seven suspects were brought before the competent court to answer several charges, including criminal conspiracy,

attempted migrant smuggling by sea and endangering the lives of others.