Authorities disrupt illegal farming in Mayotte and clandestine logging in Senegal

Law enforcement agencies in Mayotte and Senegal have conducted operations to dismantle illegal resource exploitation activities.

In Bandrélé, Mayotte, gendarmes discovered a two-hectare clandestine plantation in Mgnambani. The site contained tomatoes, cassava, and chili peppers grown outside official agricultural circuits. Several individuals fled the scene during the patrol. Authorities destroyed a portion of the crops and seized equipment. The illegal cultivation poses risks regarding land pressure, lack of sanitary traceability, and unfair competition for registered farmers.

In the Vélingara department of Senegal, the Eaux et Forêts service dismantled seven clandestine sawing workshops in the commune of Médina Gounass. During patrols on August 14 and 15, officials seized seven sawing machines, three dynamos, four flywheels, and approximately 450 items including planks and beams, as well as several dozen kapokier trees. The operation aims to combat illegal logging intended for cross-border commercial networks and to preserve the forest and wildlife resources of the Fouladou region.