Two British nationals are facing serious drug charges on the island of Mauritius after customs officers intercepted a suitcase containing cannabis worth an estimated £3 million.
Airport Interception and Arrest
Sinead Hart, 22, and Thomas Lee Munro, 29, were detained at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (SSR) on October 15. The pair had just arrived on an Air France flight from Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport when their suspicious behaviour prompted questions from the authorities.
Officers became further concerned when they established that the two were travelling together yet appeared to know very little about each other. A search of their luggage revealed the illicit cargo: nineteen packages of cannabis resin, also known as hashish, with a street value of approximately £3 million (185.8 million Mauritian Rupees).
Ten of the packages were found in Hart's possession, with the remaining nine discovered in Munro's bags. A rapid test confirmed the substance was hashish. The pair allegedly told investigators that someone in Britain had given them the luggage to transport.
Controlled Delivery and Further Arrests
Following their arrest, Hart and Munro agreed to cooperate with the Mauritian Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit (ADSU) in a controlled operation. They proceeded to the Blue Bay hotel, where they were staying, to conduct a delivery.
This operation led to the arrest of two more suspects, Roshan Ramdin and Kenny Seerungun, who arrived at the hotel apparently to collect the drugs. The men had been staying in rooms 105 and 106 with their respective wives.
Subsequent searches uncovered additional evidence. In Ramdin's room, shared with his wife Covila, police found 45,500 Mauritian Rupees (£746.60), heroin, pregabalin tablets, cannabis seeds, and mobile phones. Seerungun's room yielded cash and two phones. Covila Ramdin was later arrested on October 17 after meeting her husband outside a courthouse.
Charges and Wider Context of UK-linked Smuggling
Hart and Munro have been refused bail and remain in custody awaiting trial. They face provisional charges of drug dealing with aggravating circumstances and trafficking under the Dangerous Drugs Act.
A Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson confirmed: "We are supporting three British nationals who have been detained in Mauritius and are in contact with the local authorities."
This incident is not isolated. Just days earlier, on October 12, another British national, Mohammed Abubakr Hussain, 24, was arrested at the same airport with cannabis worth over £525,000.
Furthermore, this case echoes a major seizure in May, when three British women—Shania Wood, 25, Alethea Jade Demitre, 33, and Chloe Nancy Parker, 18—were among nine passengers arrested with over £4 million worth of cannabis in their suitcases after a flight from Dubai. Another Briton, Daniel Jonathan Pearson, was detained as the alleged ringleader of that operation.
These cases highlight an ongoing focus by Mauritian authorities on intercepting drug shipments linked to UK nationals, with suspects facing potential decades-long prison sentences if convicted.
