Indian high commission grants seven vehicles to Anti-Narcotics Bureau (ANB) |21 May 2018

Fight against drugs gets major boost

The government of India has donated seven of a total of ten vehicles earmarked for the Anti-Narcotics Bureau (ANB) within the police department to enhance its capacity in drug law enforcement.

The handover of the vehicles took place in a ceremony held on Friday at the ANB Station/Investigation Unit at Bois de Rose.  

The ten vehicles comprise five TATA Safari Storme, two Tata mini-buses and three TATA Xenon Carry vehicles amounting to US $250,000 in total.

The seven vehicles handed over on Friday comprise five TATA Safari Storme and two Tata mini-buses. The remaining three, when configured, would be delivered subsequently.

The Indian high commissioner, Dr Ausaf Sayeed, handed over the keys of the vehicles to the Commissioner of Police, Kishan Labonte, in the presence of Designated Minister Macsuzy Mondon and Ambassador Barry Faure, secretary of state in the Foreign Affairs Department. 

Speaking at the occasion Dr Sayeed said that India and Seychelles share a robust relationship in security and surveillance. The bonds date back to the 1980s and have been nurtured over the years.

“We value our strong and special relationship with Seychelles based on shared values and mutual trust. We look forward to further strengthening the enduring partnership. Also, the Indian government has been and will be training a lot of Seychellois police officers, through ITEC programmes including sending Seychellois police officers to premier training institutes for the police in India like the National Police Academy in Hyderabad and bringing ITEC experts from India for specialised training. This apart, the Indian government is also funding the  Seychelles police department to procure fingerprint analysis equipment and criminology and toxicology equipment from India. These would arrive in the country by mid-year and would be unveiled for the services of the Seychelles investigation agencies subsequently. I believe this humble contribution from India would boost the manoeuverability of the Anti-Narcotics Bureau in combating illegal drug related offences in Seychelles,” Dr Sayeed said.

Commissioner Labonte thanked the Indian high commissioner for the valuable gift and remarked that the Seychelles police department has always benefitted from the aid provided by the government of India.

He said that the Indian government has in the past provided the Seychelles police department with valuable assets including ten jeeps, police uniforms and accessories last year.

India provides holistic training and assistance programmes to the Seychelles police department. He commended the large number of Seychelles police personnel who have been trained in various training institutions in India and have gained immensely through such programmes.