​The Saloum Delta will not be the departure point for another deadly journey to Europe. During two large-scale raids carried out between 31 July and 2 August 2026, Kaolack’s Gendarmerie Legion successfully foiled two plans to leave the country illegally, by intercepting 173 would-be migrants and seizing logistical equipment concealed within the mangrove labyrinth.

​Drones, Tactical Infiltration into the Mangroves

​The first stage of this operation took place in the Bossinkang forest, near the town of Toubacouta. The decisive blow, which was spearheaded by the Sokone Territorial Brigade, required the deployment of the Surveillance and Intervention Squad as well as strategic support from the National Gendarmerie’s drone unit. Aerial imagery spotted 36 people hiding underneath the dense vegetation, as they were waiting for the smuggling ring’s final signal to board the boats.

​The second operation, launched during the night of 1st to 2nd of August in the Fandiongue area, was the result of thorough operational intelligence gathering. The military police succeeded in infiltrating the heart of the bolongs silently, where they discovered a canoe concealed amidst the mangrove roots. The raid, carried out without any major incident, led to the immediate arrests of the three vessel captains and the detention of 137 passengers, all ready to embark on their journey out to sea.

​Sub-regional Networks and Heavy Logistics

​The profiling of the 173 migrants detained — including 116 men, 15 women and 6 children — confirms that Senegal still serves as a transit zone for people-smuggling networks whose reach extends throughout the sub-region. Whilst 104 were Senegalese citizens, the group also included a large number of nationals from Mali, The Gambia and Guinea.

​The equipment seized at the boarding site shows the organisational capacity and financial resources mobilised by these smuggling rings in their efforts to reach the Canary Islands. Law enforcement agencies recovered an 18-metre-long deep-sea canoe, two 40-horsepower outboard motors for propulsion, and a huge supply of 4,760 litres of fuel distributed across 238 20-litre bottles.

​An Impressive Monthly Record That Reflects Intensified Pressure on the Coasts

​These two raids are part of a comprehensive crackdown carried out throughout the past month by the National Gendarmerie along the entire coastline and on waterways. The month’s statistics indicate an unprecedented step-up in checks and an increased patrol presence at the country’s hotspots.

​If the Toubacouta and Fandiongue operations are to be included in recent interventions on the Grande Côte, the National Gendarmerie’s monthly track record looks particularly impressive. A total of 487 people intending to emigrate illegally were intercepted or rescued at sea before they left territorial waters. At the same time, the security forces arrested and brought before the courts 14 suspected people-smugglers and traffickers on charges of endangering the lives of others and human trafficking. As for seizures, these amounted to five large-capacity canoes being seized and more than 12,000 litres of fuel confiscated, thereby rendering inoperative the operational capabilities of several networks that operate between Saint-Louis, Mbour, Thiaroye and the Saloum Delta.

With these outstanding results, the high command of the Gendarmerie further reaffirms its commitment to maintaining security along the coastline and in the swampy areas to deter departures and save lives.