The Senegalese armed forces have successfully dismantled a major drug trafficking network in the North Sindian sector of the Casamance region, seizing more than six tonnes of cannabis and arresting 14 suspects.
Conducted between May 1 and May 7, 2026, the military operation, codenamed “Elol,” targeted difficult-to-access areas near the Gambian border, which has long served as a strategic corridor for illicit trade. Colonel Cheikh Guèye, commander of Military Zone No. 5, confirmed that the mission utilized significant military resources alongside the Ziguinchor gendarmerie to disrupt the criminal economy that continues to fuel regional insecurity.
Beyond the massive quantity of processed drugs, security forces also uncovered cannabis seeds, weapons, ammunition, and substantial logistical equipment, while simultaneously dismantling several clandestine encampments. While initial reports cited a six-tonne seizure, some sources suggest the total volume—including unprocessed plants and seeds—could exceed nine tonnes. Military authorities view this intervention as a vital blow to the financial networks supporting local armed groups involved in the long-standing Casamance conflict. Following the operation, the 14 detainees are slated for transfer to judicial authorities, while surveillance remains heightened in North Sindian to ensure the dismantled trafficking cells do not reconstitute.
TE/Sf/lb/abj/APA