Migrant trafficking to the Canary Islands: A recruiter referred by the DNLT to the PJF

A new link in the migrant trafficking networks has been dismantled. The National Division for Combating Migrant Smuggling and Related Practices (DNLT) has referred E. Sarr to the financial prosecutor at the Dakar High Court for criminal conspiracy and migrant smuggling by sea.

His name was mentioned by a suspect. When questioned after his arrest, A. Sall had identified E. Sarr as one of his recruiters, claiming to have received 3,000,000 CFA francs from him, a sum which had enabled him to acquire a 60 HP outboard motor intended for a trip to the Canary Islands.

It was close collaboration with the head of the Kaffrine border sector that made it possible to capture E. Sarr, who was arrested at the Makkagouye post.

When questioned by investigators, he recounted meeting A. Sall during a stay in Mbour, before being contacted by him in November 2025 to join an irregular emigration network by sea, in exchange for two free places on the boat.

A first crossing departing from Bara, Gambia, arrived safely in the Canary Islands on December 5, 2025.

Building on this success, A. Sall contacted him again in February 2026 to organize another trip to the Spanish archipelago. This time, the meeting took place in the presence of a third man, K. Ndiaye. The same terms were agreed upon: two places offered in exchange for the recruitment work.

E. Sarr then took action and gathered around thirty candidates for the trip. Twenty-one of them each paid between 300,000 CFA francs and 500,000 CFA francs, for a total of 8,400,000 CFA francs.

From this sum, he personally handed over 3,400,000 CFA francs to A. Sall during a meeting in Gambia, where the migrants were staying. He then gave him an additional 3,000,000 CFA francs, the amount A. Sall admitted to using to buy the outboard motor.

On the latter's instructions, E. Sarr transferred another 1,500,000 CFA francs to K. Ndiaye and 500,000 CFA francs to M. Ndao.

E. Sarr was finally brought before the financial prosecutor at the Dakar High Court on July 12, 2026, for criminal association and migrant trafficking by sea, according to Seneweb sources.