Gambia Joins INTERPOL's 'Operation Screen West Africa 2025' Leading to 62 Arrests, Including Terror Suspects

The Gambia, alongside 11 other West African nations, recently concluded its participation in 'Operation Screen West Africa 2025,' a major INTERPOL-coordinated security initiative. This four-month regional crackdown, spanning from July to October 2025, aimed to bolster border security, disrupt transnational organized crime networks, and track individuals linked to terrorism across the region. The operation yielded significant results, including 62 arrests and substantial seizures of illicit goods.

Key Outcomes and Arrests

The comprehensive operation led to the apprehension of 62 individuals across the 12 participating countries. Notably, nine arrests were made of individuals suspected of terrorist affiliations. Among these, two suspects were detained in Burkina Faso, wanted by Côte d'Ivoire for their alleged involvement in a 2020 Al-Qaeda-affiliated attack by the JNIM group, which resulted in the deaths of over ten security personnel. These individuals had been flagged with INTERPOL Blue Notices. Additionally, six other individuals were arrested in Mauritania on suspicion of terrorist activities, and a third terror-linked suspect, previously identified in a 2024 INTERPOL operation in Togo, was also apprehended.

Extensive Database Checks and Seizures

A critical component of 'Operation Screen West Africa 2025' involved the extensive use of INTERPOL's global databases. Frontline officers at land, air, and sea borders conducted approximately 1.7 million real-time checks using INTERPOL Mobile Devices (IMDs). This led to nearly 250 database 'hits,' including seven linked to INTERPOL Red Notices and nine to Blue Notices related to terrorist activities. The operation also resulted in considerable seizures and recoveries, including:

• 17 caches of weapons and ammunition
• Explosives, such as dynamite and detonators
• 136 stolen vehicles
• 731 kg of cannabis
• Large quantities of counterfeit medicines, including fake opioid painkillers
• Counterfeit currency and fraudulent documents

These seized items are often linked to the financing of terrorism and organized crime.

Combating Human Trafficking and Maritime Crime

Beyond counter-terrorism efforts, the operation also addressed other critical forms of transnational crime. In Ghana, authorities successfully rescued 21 victims of human trafficking who had been held in Nigeria and exploited in connection with fraudulent schemes. The initiative also placed a strong emphasis on maritime security, conducting checks at harbors and in territorial waters. INTERPOL alerted participating countries to vessels engaging in deceptive shipping practices, such as 'dark operations' (where ships switch off identification systems) and frequent flag changes, tactics often employed by criminal and terrorist groups to transport illicit goods and personnel.

International Cooperation and Funding

The success of 'Operation Screen West Africa 2025' underscores the importance of regional cooperation and technological integration in combating organized crime. The 12 participating countries included Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. The operation received vital financial support from international partners, including the German Federal Foreign Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, and the United States Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), under Projects I-CT Shield, WATA, and AGWE. INTERPOL Executive Director Police Services pro tempore, Cyril Gout, highlighted how operational support and specialist tools enable member countries to link suspected terrorists and disrupt threats to communities.