The two Lebanese businessmen who allegedly smuggled 48 blocks of cocaine into the country are now walking freely in the streets, a freedom that the government denied hundreds of young Gambians who are languishing in prisons and police cells for cannabis possession.  

Mahdi Tajudinn and Ossama Mahmoud, were arrested last year after the 

Drug Law Enforcement Agency (DLEAG) discovered the cocaine blocks in a sugar shipment addressed to Laura Food Company (LFC), a Gambia-registered company that deals in various types of food commodities. 

The then deputy spokesperson at the DLEAG, Yassin A. Ndimballa told journalists shortly after arresting the duo that the drugs were smuggled from overseas. 

Standard Newspaper's Bruce Asemota later reported that the High Court of The Gambia presided over by Justice Amina Saho-Ceesay ordered the release of Ossama and Mahdi.  

The controversial judge said the court had reasonable grounds to let them go. She also claimed the State was not opposed to granting the two alleged drug traffickers bail.  

An insider at the Police headquarters, who begged for anonymity, disclosed to What's On-Gambia: " The case is still at the Ministry of Justice, they are the main law office of The Gambia."