Missing man back home after being found on Iranian dhow   |26 November 2021

Arrival of Mr Bistoquet

Andy Bistoquet, the Seychellois man who was reported missing since November 7, 2021 and later found onboard an Iranian dhow outside our economic zone, is back in the country after the dhow he was on was escorted to Port Victoria by patrol vessel ‘Topaz’ from the Seychelles Coast Guard (SGC) yesterday morning.

Andy was found during a joint military operation by the SCG in collaboration with the Indian and French navies.

It was President Wavel Ramkalawn who made the announcement on November 15, 2021, following the arrest of the dhow by the Indian Navy. The dhow was in the possession of the Indian Navy before being handed over to the SCG.

On arrival at the SCG base, Mr Bistoquet was escorted off the dhow by police officers. The eleven Iranian nationals on the dhow, mostly young people, are in police custody.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Francis Songoire, responsible for the Anti-Narcotics and Special Operations Department, said that during police investigation, Mr Bistoquet was discovered as part of a drug exchange deal which involved six Seychellois men who were arrested and are facing charges in connection with a significant drug seizure onboard two leisure boats earlier this month.

“Following our investigation in collaboration with the Indian authority, we found that Mr Bistoquet was somehow linked to the drug seizure onboard two leisure boats. His arrival and the dhow will further help us in our investigation,” said DCP Songoire.

He noted that Mr Bistoquet’s family will now be happy to see him back on home soil and he deplored the fact that Mr Bistoquet had been exchanged for drugs, among other exchanges made in the past.

The court case, implicating the six Seychellois men who are in custody and facing charges in connection with the drug seizure onboard the two leisure boats, is ongoing.

Also present yesterday morning was the Chief of Defence Forces, Brigadier Michael Rosette, and the commanding officer of SCG, Lieutenant Colonel Jean Attala.

Text and photos by Patrick Joubert