Gambiaj.com – (Manchester, United Kingdom) – Two drug couriers who transported £675,000 worth of cocaine from The Gambia to the UK have been sentenced to four years in prison each. Djibril Djalo, 34, and Madiu Gomes, 25, were apprehended by Border Force officers at Manchester Airport on December 16 last year, carrying 25 kilograms of the Class A drug concealed in their suitcases.

Djalo, a Portuguese national, admitted to accepting the smuggling assignment in exchange for a fee, citing extreme poverty as his motivation. According to his lawyer, Olivia Gatfield, he was taken to The Gambia, where he received both the narcotics and his travel itinerary.

Gomes, who was also struggling financially, claimed he was recruited by a criminal syndicate under the lure of quick money. His defense attorney, Tobias Collins, highlighted the dire situation he faced, including mounting medical bills for his ailing father and partner, as well as the responsibility of providing for four children.

The Manchester Crown Court heard that Gomes was initially stopped at Terminal 2, where officers discovered blocks of cocaine in his luggage.

Djalo was intercepted separately, with similar contraband found in his possession. Prosecutor Kate Gaskell detailed that Djalo first denied ownership of the drugs, stating that they had been handed to him during transit from Guinea to Lisbon. However, forensic examination linked both men to the smuggling operation.

During sentencing, Judge Nicholas Dean KC emphasized that international criminal networks knowingly exploit couriers, many of whom are well aware of the risks.

“It’s said each of you acted out of desperation for a relatively small financial gain. The impact of your offending is very much felt by your families,” he stated.

The pair, who have no fixed UK addresses, will be considered for deportation upon completing their sentences.

The case has shed further light on The Gambia’s role as a transit hub for drug trafficking, with law enforcement agencies intensifying efforts to dismantle smuggling rings operating through the West African corridor.