Drug traffickers get 12-year sentences |04 December 2010

The drugs were seized by National Drugs Enforcement Agency officers on May 30, 2009, after an elaborate land and sea surveillance operation.

The seizure consisted of 536 grams of a controlled substance that originated in South Africa. Three suspects were subsequently taken into custody and charged on three counts in connection with the seizure.

Those convicted are Nelson Payet, a 48-year-old married driver of Les Mamelles, Dominic Dugasse, a 32-year-old single seaman from Grand Anse Praslin, and Christopher D’Unienville, a self-employed, single 35-year-old from Grand Anse, Praslin.

The men were convicted on two charges of conspiracy to import a controlled substance and one charge of aiding and abetting the import of a controlled drug.

It is believed the drugs, which had a street value of R2,680,000 were intended for use in the local market.