Two British nationals have been arrested in Mauritius. They were caught trying to smuggle a large amount of cannabis into the island nation. The estimated value of the drugs is over £3 million.
Sinead Hart, 22, and Thomas Lee Munro, 29, were taken into custody on October 15. They had just arrived on an Air France flight from Paris. Their flight landed at the Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport.
Airport officials became suspicious due to the pair’s “abnormal” behavior. They were questioned shortly after collecting their luggage.
Officers grew more suspicious when they realized Hart and Munro were traveling together. However, they seemed to know very little about each other.
A search of their luggage revealed nineteen packages of cannabis. The drugs are described as hashish. Ten packages were found with Hart. Nine packages were found in Munro’s bags.
A rapid test confirmed the substance. The two Brits allegedly told authorities someone in Britain had given them the luggage.
They then agreed to help the police in a sting operation. The operation was at the Blue Bay hotel, where they were staying.
Police arrested two more men at the hotel. They are Roshan Ramdin and Kenny Seerungun. The men had come to the hotel apparently to collect the drugs.
Ramdin and Seerungun were staying at the hotel with their wives. Searches of their rooms found cash, heroin, cannabis seeds, and mobile phones.
Ramdin’s wife, Covila Ramdin, was also arrested later. She had been missing since the raid on October 17.
Investigations into Ramdin, his wife, and Seerungun are ongoing. They are suspected of being involved in importing the hashish from England.
Hart and Munro have been refused bail. They remain in jail in Mauritius awaiting trial. They face serious charges of drug dealing and trafficking under the Dangerous Drug Act.
A spokesperson for the UK’s Foreign Office said they are supporting three British nationals detained in Mauritius. They are in contact with local authorities.
This is not an isolated case. Another British man, Mohammed Abubakr Hussain, 24, was arrested at the same airport on October 12. He was found with cannabis worth over £525,000.
In a separate major incident in May, three British women were arrested. They were part of a group of nine passengers caught with over £4 million worth of cannabis in their suitcases. Another British man was arrested as the alleged ringleader of that smuggling attempt.
Those arrested in the May case face severe penalties. If found guilty, they could be sentenced to 25 to 60 years in prison.