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Archive - Archive 2004 - July 2013

Several kilos of drugs seized in fortnight |13 May 2013

Subsequent investigations have resulted in several persons being arrested and brought before the courts where charges relating to these seizures will be instituted, said the NDEA in a statement released on Friday.

The most recent seizure occurred on May 10 at Grand Anse Mahe when a 23-year-old mother of two children was taken into custody after drugs including cannabis and heroin with a street value of R2.5 million rupees were seized during a search of a house that had been targeted by the NDEA.

“This seizure was the result of a sustained operation that was carried out in a number of areas of the country involving targeting the movement of known drug dealers and their associates,” said the agency.

A second operation occurred on May 8 as NDEA agents operating in the Mont Buxton area seized a substance weighing 845 grams suspected to be cannabis amounting to a street value of about R422,500. One person was taken into custody after he was caught when he attempted to destroy evidence and flee the scene.

The NDEA has made a number of other significant arrests in the past month. Since April, six people have been arrested for trafficking of controlled substances, five of whom were caught the same week as two were arrested for money laundering. The trafficking offences were committed in St Louis, Mont Plaisir and Port Launay where five persons were arrested.
The courts have issued five sentences in the past month in relation to drug charges of two persons arrested by the NDEA

The first was in the case of Terry Julius, a 25-year-old farmer, and Ted Doudee, a 20-year-old rock driller both of Mont Plaisir. The two were arrested for trafficking over a kilo of cannabis. On April 3 both were sentenced to eight years imprisonment by the Supreme Court.

Last week, Michel Robert Kilindo and Jimmy Ernesta also got eight-year prison sentences for trafficking cannabis resin. On December 2, 2011 NDEA agents working off credible information proceeded to La Promenade where they found Michel Kilindo in his parked vehicle. A search of his car unearthed 600 grams of cannabis resin (hashish). After further investigation Ernesta was arrested by the NDEA agents and questioned in relation to the accusations. Sufficient evidence provided in court found both men guilty of trafficking.

Two foreigners have been arrested for money laundering. One is a Kenyan woman and the other a German man. They were arrested on May 3, 2013 on suspicion of making false documentation and possession of unlawfully obtained property. Both are believed to be part of an organised crime group based here. Following a search of their premises at lower Gaza Estate, the NDEA agents uncovered two false US passports and a substantial number of travelers’ cheques in various foreign currencies totaling R348,000. The NDEA has seized the cash and documentation which is believed to be stolen, for the purpose of investigation. Currently the suspects are on remand until May 20, 2013 when they will face the courts. The NDEA has begun proceedings in liaison with the Financial Intelligence Unit with a view to establishing the origin of the money.

Meanwhile, on April 4, 2013 Dean Rudy Williams of Corgate Estate was fined R5,000, failure to pay which he would be jailed for five months for possession of cannabis.

Alex Lucas, a 17-year-old fisherman from Anse aux Pins, pleaded guilty on April 17, 2013 to the charge of possession of drugs and sentenced to one year probation service due to his age.

Nelson Robert Bristol, who was arrested for trafficking on Praslin on October 15, 2010, got a five-year prison sentence on April 19, 2013. Working off intelligence on October 15, 2010 NDEA agents were present to witness the accused attempting to hide an item in clear plastic wrapping down the pipe of the district administration building. When agents removed the item they discovered another similarly wrapped package. Both packages contained controlled substance cannabis totalling 73.5 grams. Bristol was arrested for trafficking but later the Supreme Court reduced the charges to possession.

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