Orpaillage illégal à la frontière sénégalo-malienne : Quatre étrangers interpellés et 70 millions F CFA saisis
An operation carried out by security forces in the southeastern border area of Senegal resulted in the arrest of four foreign nationals suspected of involvement in illegal gold mining activities, as well as the seizure of a large sum of money intended, according to investigators, to try to secure their release.
According to security sources, the intervention follows the exploitation of intelligence indicating the regular presence of Malian and Chinese nationals entering Senegalese territory illegally to carry out fraudulent gold mining activities in the village of Satadougou.
Elements from the border sector of Moussala, serving at the advanced post of Guémédjié, thus launched a sweep operation on the suspected site.
A discreet advance through the forest
To prevent any information leaks, the agents involved in the operation covered more than 5 km on foot through difficult-to-access forest tracks. This strategy aimed to catch the illegal loggers in the act, in an area known for the presence of networks of complicity that facilitate illegal activities.
The operation led to the arrest of four individuals, including two Chinese nationals (Liang D. Wei, a suspected gold miner residing in Kéniéba, Mali, and Liang Wei, also a suspected gold miner) and two Malians (Abdoulaye Sow, a 53-year-old merchant, and Mouhamed Tamboura, a 28-year-old merchant). Several other accomplices reportedly managed to flee into Malian territory.
Alleged bribery attempt foiled
The investigation subsequently revealed that a suspected mastermind based in Mali had tasked two intermediaries with negotiating the release of the arrested Chinese nationals. The proposed transaction involved an amount of 70 million CFA francs.
A meeting was then arranged at the Guémédjié advanced checkpoint. The two intermediaries were arrested on the spot, and the money was seized and placed under seal.
During the operation, two excavators used for gold mining were also immobilized. The operation ended around 2 a.m. Those arrested were informed of their rights, including the right to legal counsel.
At the conclusion of the investigation, they were brought before the prosecutor's office at the Saraya district court for further legal proceedings.
This operation is part of the strengthening of the fight against illegal gold mining and cross-border networks of illegal exploitation of mineral resources in the Kédougou region.
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