Why Gambia has mass-convicted 60 Chinese nationals and ordered their deportation

Principal Magistrate Anna O. Mendy convicted 60 Chinese nationals on two cybercrime-related counts under The Gambia’s Information and Communication Act (Cap 74:03, Volume 12, Laws of 2009) - unlawful possession of devices and data and computer-related extortion, fraud, and forgery. Each was fined D10,000 (about US$150) per count or, in default, one month’s imprisonment, with sentences to run consecutively, the Voice Gambia reports. 

Prosecutors said the group was arrested in September 2025 after raids on buildings in Tujereng and Batokunku, where police seized 242 mobile phones, 72 desktop computers, 54 laptops, seven routers, a flat-screen TV, two Starlink internet systems, and other accessories. The equipment was allegedly used to generate fake data on social media platforms to commit cyber fraud.

All 60 defendants pleaded guilty after the charges were read in English and translated into Chinese. Prosecutors described the group as a sophisticated cybercrime syndicate, accusing them of running fraud schemes through WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, and cryptocurrency platforms such as Coinbase and Crypto.com, using VPNs to hide their locations. Investigators said the syndicate had invested heavily in technology, logistics, and property to sustain a large-scale cyber fraud network in The Gambia.

The court also ruled that all 60 nationals are to be deported to China within 10 days of completing their sentences or paying the fines. Until then, they will remain confined to one location under the supervision of the Gambia Immigration Department, which has been tasked with overseeing and facilitating their removal by air, land, or sea.