Police in The Gambia have launched sweeping raids on urban crime dens, rounding up youths over the weekend in a bid to tackle criminality just weeks before the start to the tourist season.
Since on Sunday several dozen youths in Serrekunda and outlying suburbs have been arrested and detained by the police anti-crime unit in a crackdown which is set to continue until the end of September, a security source told APA.
There were raids in the burgeoning suburb of Sinchu Alhagie, 55km south of the capital Banjul, where arrested youths mainly non-Gambians were herded on a police pickup vehicle and taken into custody on Sunday evening.
There were similar police swoops in the area on Monday afternoon.
The police raids are in response to widespread Gambian disquiet over the rising rate of petty crimes across an expanding metropolis where miscreant behaviour is rife.
Since 2017, there have been reports of home and office break-ins, armed robberies and muggings, prompting citizens to task the new administration of Adama Barrow to rein in criminality.
WN/as/APA