The Gambia government has put forward emergency regulation laws which prohibit the smuggling of essential goods mainly food items out of the country.
Senior government officials in Banjul informed APA Friday that the move is meant to ensure availability of food for the people in the country during the state of public emergency period.
The Anti-crime Unit of the Gambia Police Force (GPF) announced that its officers have intercepted 12 trucks loaded with bags of rice, sugar, onions, potatoes and gallons of cooking oil bound for Senegal and Guinea Bissau.
The Spokesperson of the GPF, Assistant Superintendent Lamin Njie, said the alleged smugglers would be prosecuted and that some have already appeared before the law Court for the alleged crime.
Part of the intercepted goods which include 4000 bags of sugar are currently being kept at the anti-crime camp in the coast town of Bijilo. The remaining goods left in the trucks are parked in the capital Banjul, pending legal actions.
The country is in a 45-day state of public emergency, which is said to be affecting the economic and livelihood of Gambians owing to restrictions of non-essential businesses.
The Gambia so far registered four cases of the deadly Covid-19, with two recoveries and one death. Only one patient of the virus is undergoing treatment.
Health officials said all the cases were imported prior to the closing of the country’s borders and airspace.
EJ/Dng/APA