A Senegalese national and two Gambian citizens, including a high-ranking military officer, were arrested in Kaolack on Monday, February 18th, in connection with a suspected counterfeit currency operation. The arrests, carried out by the Section de Recherches de Kaolack, followed intelligence indicating a planned meeting between individuals involved in the trafficking of fake banknotes.
According to sources, the operation began with surveillance of S. Ndiaye, who was suspected of organizing the meeting. Ndiaye, arriving from Dakar, reportedly met with the two Gambian nationals at “Garage Nioro” before proceeding to the residence of E. A. Diallo. A subsequent raid on Diallo’s property led to the seizure of 700 euro banknotes, each with a face value of 100 euros, and 810 US dollar banknotes, each worth 100 dollars. The total estimated value of the seized currency is approximately 100 million CFA francs.
Among those arrested was A. Mané, identified as a colonel in the Gambian army. Authorities also recovered Mané’s professional identification card at the scene, confirming his military affiliation. The second Gambian national, M. Barro, was described as Mané’s marabout, a religious advisor.
The case has drawn the attention of financial authorities, and the public prosecutor’s office in Kaolack is considering transferring the investigation to the Pool Judiciaire Financier (PJF), due to potential money laundering implications. This move suggests investigators are exploring the broader financial network potentially linked to the counterfeit currency operation.
A. Ndiaye, a Kaolack resident, was previously identified in connection with a separate incident reported by Senego on April 25, 2025, where a man named A. Ndiaye died by suicide. However, it remains unconfirmed whether this is the same individual involved in the counterfeit currency case. Mané Mall Ndiaye, a Subdivision Chief at La Poste in Senegal, is listed on LinkedIn, but there is no immediate indication of a connection to the current investigation.
As of February 23, 2026, the investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not released further details regarding potential charges or the scope of the alleged trafficking network.
