A six-year-old British boy was detained in Mauritius after customs officials found 14 kilograms of cannabis hidden inside his suitcase.
The child was stopped by officials at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam airport alongside seven other individuals after they disembarked from a British Airways flight from Gatwick on Sunday, according to local media reports.
Authorities discovered the group was carrying more than 161 kilograms (355 pounds) of cannabis concealed in their luggage, with an estimated value of £1.6 million.
Seven of the suspects are British nationals, including the boy, whose luggage reportedly contained 24 packages of drugs wrapped in clear cellophane. The eighth suspect was reported to be a Romanian national residing in Britain.
Mauritian authorities described the use of the child’s luggage to smuggle drugs as “outrageous and inhumane”, adding: “This is one of the most revolting cases we have encountered in recent years.”
The young boy, who was unaware of the contents of his suitcase, was reportedly flown back to the UK on Wednesday and is now staying with his father.
The suspects each had Apple AirTags, which are used to track items via a mobile app, as well as carrying up to £900 in cash. Authorities believe international drug trafficking gangs commonly use these trackers to monitor their illicit shipments.
Investigators are reportedly treating the group as part of an organised crime network responsible for smuggling narcotics from Europe into Mauritius.
Local media outlet Le Mauricien reported that seven of the suspects have been charged with drug trafficking offences and placed in custody. The adult suspects appeared in Mahebourg court, located on the island’s south-eastern coast, on Monday, where all were remanded in pre-trial detention.
Following the arrests, authorities conducted targeted raids on hotels accommodating British nationals after receiving intelligence suggesting additional foreign passengers might be involved in transporting drugs. However, no further arrests were made during these operations.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are supporting several British nationals who are detained in Mauritius and are in contact with the local authorities.”
