Drugs & Phone Smuggled into La Bastille Prison

Security cameras at La Bastille, Mauritius's high-security prison located in Phoenix, captured a brazen smuggling attempt on Tuesday, 15 September, when an unidentified individual was filmed throwing three separate parcels over the facility's perimeter wall before fleeing the scene. A thorough search of the prison grounds by correctional officers led to the recovery of the first package, which contained cigarettes, cotton, and rolling papers that had been soaked in synthetic drugs — a method increasingly used by smugglers to disguise narcotics and evade initial detection. A more detailed sweep of the drainage infrastructure uncovered a second, more alarming parcel concealed inside a concrete drain along the gutters: a mobile phone complete with a SIM card and a makeshift charger. Unauthorised mobile phones inside prison walls pose a serious security threat, enabling inmates to coordinate criminal activity, intimidate witnesses, or communicate with external networks beyond the reach of authorities. A third package was retrieved outside the prison perimeter. Vacoas Police have opened a formal investigation and are working to identify and locate the individual caught on the surveillance footage. This incident shines a spotlight on the persistent challenge facing prison authorities across Mauritius: keeping contraband out of correctional facilities despite reinforced physical barriers. The use of drug-soaked paper — virtually odourless and difficult to distinguish from ordinary materials — represents an evolving tactic that demands updated detection protocols, including the potential use of specialised drug-detection technology at facilities like La Bastille. Prison officials have not yet commented publicly on whether any inmates have been linked to the attempted delivery. The investigation remains ongoing.