Four Reunion Islanders, who arrived in Mauritius on Tuesday, will spend their “holidays” behind bars. They were intercepted as they got off the plane with nearly Rs 1 million in cannabis. Placed in police detention, they are expected to appear in court this Wednesday.
A family affair… Four Reunion Islanders were intercepted on Tuesday February 20, 2024 when they got off the plane at Plaisance airport. They are Sabrina Robert, her partner Thomas Jean, her son Dylan Jean Samuel Robert and Elodie Moutousammy, one of their friends. They are accused of having brought back large quantities of zamal (Reunionese cannabis; Editor’s note) from the sister island. Market value of the cargo: approximately Rs 1 million.
These four defendants spent the night from Tuesday to Wednesday behind bars. They appear before the Grand-Port court this Wednesday, February 21, 2024. They will be charged with drug importation.
The plan of these Reunion Islanders was well calculated. But they underestimated the determination of the agents of the Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit (Adsu) branch in Plaisance operating jointly with the Customs Anti-Narcotics Section (CANS) of the Mauritius Revenue Authority.
Excavations
It was 7:25 a.m. Tuesday when the Air Austral aircraft (flight UU 102; Editor's note) landed on the Plaisance tarmac. When he got off the plane, Dylan Jean Samuel Robert and his girlfriend were preparing to cross the Green Channel when they were intercepted by customs officers and Adsu police officers. Their luggage was x-rayed. On the scanner, law enforcement officers thought they saw what appeared to be herbal cannabis in one of the suitcases.
The two bags are opened in the presence of the couple and the contents are carefully examined. Customs officers find nothing compromising in the girlfriend's suitcase. She is immediately released.
On the other hand, they discovered two tea bags, containing respectively 160.81 grams of cannabis and 153.44 grams of weed, in that of Dylan Jean Samuel Robert. Chief Inspector Goinden's squad immediately arrested this Reunionese resident in Saint-André on the sister island. The market value of the seized cannabis is estimated at Rs 377,100.
Dylan Jean Samuel Robert is subjected to close interrogation. He ends up informing the police that other of his relatives are expected in Mauritius. According to him, they are supposed to arrive at Plaisance airport around 11 a.m. Tuesday on flight UU 104.
From then on, Adsu and CANS are on alert. The plane landed in Plaisance at 10:55 a.m. Sabrina Robert, the mother of Dylan Jean Samuel Robert, was actually on this flight. After she collects her luggage, she is subjected to a search. The exercise resulted in the discovery of 217 grams of cannabis.
His partner Thomas Jean, also on this flight, is also subject to a search. This allowed the police to find 206 grams of cannabis in his possession. Elodie Moutousammy, one of their friends who was traveling on the same flight, was arrested with 56 grams of weed. The street value of the seized drugs is estimated at nearly Rs 1 million. The four passengers were taken into custody.
