Departures of boats packed full of migrants are often observed on the Atlantic shores of Senegal.
Those who leave often try to reach the Spanish archipelago of the Canary Islands, located some 1,500 km (930 miles) north of the country and seen as a gateway to Europe.
The migrants caught overnight Saturday iwere taken in the fishing communities of Fimela and Nianing in western Senegal, where they numbered 68 and 75 individuals respectively, said the announcement released Wednesday.
Fifty-seven foreigners were part of the groups, but their nationalities were not made public.
"One of the traffickers was arrested during the operations," the statement said.
He "was in charge of coordinating and boarding migrants on the coast bound for Europe on payment of 300,000 FCFA ($470) for each person."
Gendarmes also "immobilized" four vehicles that had been used to transport would-be migrants to Fimela and Nianing, after leaving from Diamniadio, a new town near the coastal capital Dakar, said the statement.
On June 28, at least 14 migrants were killed in a fire on a canoe in the town of Kafountine, in the southern province of Casamance.
About 140 people including Guineans, Nigerians, Gambians and Senegalese were on the boat, local authorities said.