Human trafficking, an illegal bar and a prostitution ring: 6 foreign women arrested by the Saraya BR

A veritable network of sexual exploitation and illegal labor has just been dismantled in the Kédougou region. Six women of foreign nationality were arrested by the Saraya Gendarmerie's Research Brigade (BR) in Kharakhéna, a village at the crossroads of the gold mining area. They are being prosecuted for alleged pimping, human trafficking, and operating a bar without a license.

The operation followed more than a week of discreet surveillance conducted by the Observation and Surveillance Group (GOS). Alerted by the presence of straw huts used for the clandestine sale of alcohol and for prostitution day and night (an activity that disturbed the local peace and endangered young children in the neighborhood), the investigators took action.

A well-structured network operating under the guise of a speakeasy.

The raid took place on October 6, 2026, around 8 p.m. The simultaneous intervention in the targeted bars and huts led to the arrest of the owner, D. Ouattara, a Burkinabé national, as well as R. Kouzouama, K. Moses, M. Benkpado, N. Some and A. Ouedraogo.

Having settled in Senegal in 2016 without a residence permit, D. Ouattara had built a complex of five huts on rented land. Three of them were rented to R. Kouzouama, K. Moses and M. Benkpado for 1,000 CFA francs per day for soliciting.

The investigation revealed a well-organized exploitation scheme: D. Ouattara admitted to having smuggled R. Kouzouama into Senegal for 75,000 CFA francs. She arrived in August 2026 and worked as a manager and waitress for a monthly salary of 30,000 CFA francs.

Irregular stay and clandestine immigration networks

The hearings also revealed the existence of illegal immigration networks. Mr. Benkpado admitted to paying 1.5 million CFA francs to a smuggler to reach Senegal last January, while K. Moses said she was brought in by a relative. For her part, N. Some, who has been living in Senegal since 2025, admitted to prostitution and to having financed A. Ouedraogo's trip to the tune of 50,000 CFA francs last June.

During the search, the police seized bottles of alcohol, sugar, condoms, stamped health certificates, and 400,000 CFA francs belonging to the bar owner. According to Seneweb sources close to the court, none of the six women involved had a residence permit or passport at the time of their arrest.

Charged with conspiracy, pimping, human trafficking, illegal stay, soliciting on public roads and money laundering, the six defendants were brought before the Public Prosecutor at the High Court of Kédougou on October 8, 2026.