This sprawling case, involving hard drug trafficking, money laundering, and a suspicious lifestyle, has just reached its first judicial conclusion at the Financial Judicial Pool. Following the spectacular raid carried out in October 2024 by the OCRTIS in Almadies, the correctional court handed down heavy sentences against the alleged members of the network, including prison terms, hefty fines, and extensive asset confiscations.

In its verdict delivered on May 7, the court found Babacar Ndiaye, presented as the mastermind, guilty of money laundering in addition to the drug trafficking charges. He was sentenced to three years in prison after the sentences were served concurrently.

His co-defendants, Christian Tchania, alias “Tom,” and Khadidja Djarassouba, each received two-year prison sentences. Cornelius Van Hoover was sentenced to two years in prison and fined 1.26 million FCFA.

The court, however, reclassified the charges. The initial charge of criminal conspiracy was changed to conspiracy to commit the offense of offering or supplying drugs. Babacar Ndiaye, Khadidja Djarassouba, and Christian Tchania were found guilty on this charge.

The court also found the four defendants guilty of offering or supplying drugs for personal use.

In its ruling, the court ordered the confiscation of numerous assets for the benefit of the National Office for the Recovery of Criminal Assets (ONRAC). Among the seized assets are: a Hyundai Grandeur with license plate AA-008-SX, three motorcycles and scooters, several high-end smartphones, furniture, and over one million CFA francs in cash. The court went further, also ordering the confiscation of the "value" of several assets not seized: a 596 m² plot of land in Ngaparou, a 200 m² plot of land in Saly, and the company Africars Business International SUARL, owned by Babacar Ndiaye. The total amount of the confiscations is estimated at 240,000,300 CFA francs.

But the case is far from over. Contesting the verdict, the defendants have all appealed. The case will therefore be retried before the Court of Appeal.