Drug trafficking: Several arrests made following air and sea operation |29 March 2016

Agents of the National Drugs Enforcement Agency (NDEA) and the Seychelles Coast Guard conducted an air and sea operation on Good Friday following reports of a possible attempt to import illegal drugs.

Members of both agencies were deployed in Coast Guard vessels while members of the Air Corps operated in support of the sea operation.

Following extensive searches that were conducted some 200 nautical miles from shore, a number of vessels were observed, some of which were travelling in the direction of the inner islands. Following several hours at sea one of the vessels was boarded and the crew taken into custody.

In a follow up operation involving land based assets further searches and arrests were made, and a second boat recovered.

Three of those arrested were yesterday brought before the court and remanded pending further investigations.