Overview

• A joint operation by the Customs Anti-Narcotics Section and the Anti-Drug & Smuggling Unit at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport uncovered 161 kg of cannabis hidden in luggage arriving from London Gatwick.
• Fourteen kilograms of the haul were found concealed in the six-year-old boy’s suitcase, and he was unaware of the contents.
• Seven adult suspects—including six British nationals and one Romanian—have been charged with drug trafficking and are held in pre-trial custody in Mauritius.
• The boy has been repatriated to his father in the UK and the Foreign Office says it continues to support detained British nationals and liaise with Mauritian authorities.
• The case highlights a growing pattern of organised networks exploiting vulnerable travellers and has prompted enhanced UK travel advisories and strengthened international law enforcement cooperation.