French Drug Mule Caught at SSR Airport With 412g Hidden in Stomach

A French national has been arrested at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (SSR) International Airport in Mauritius after authorities discovered he had swallowed a large quantity of illegal drugs before boarding his flight from Paris.

The arrest took place on Sunday 11 October at around 6:30 in the morning, as the traveller disembarked from a flight originating at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. Officers from the Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit (ADSU), Mauritius's specialist narcotics law enforcement branch, carried out the operation jointly with customs officials.

During routine screening, the suspect was put through a body scanner at the airport. The imaging revealed suspicious anomalies inside his abdominal cavity, a common indicator that a person has swallowed drug-filled pellets, a method known as internal concealment or body packing.

The man was transferred to hospital the same day, where he naturally expelled the packages over the following days. Investigators recovered 37 pellets containing a total of 344 grams of cocaine, along with 7 pellets holding 68 grams of cannabis resin. The combined seizure amounts to 412 grams of controlled substances.

After spending several days under medical supervision, the suspect was discharged from hospital on Saturday 17 October. He was immediately taken into police custody. Investigators also seized his two mobile phones, which may help establish links to suppliers or recipients of the drugs. The ADSU investigation is ongoing.

SSR International Airport, located in Plaisance in the south-east of Mauritius, is the island's main point of entry and a known transit point for drug traffickers attempting to bring narcotics into the country or use Mauritius as a stepping stone to other destinations.

Body packing remains one of the most dangerous methods of drug smuggling. Pellets can rupture inside the carrier, causing potentially fatal overdoses. Mauritius takes a firm stance on drug trafficking: under the Dangerous Drugs Act, conviction can carry sentences of up to 60 years in penal servitude for trafficking significant quantities.

What this means: this case highlights the effectiveness of scanner technology deployed at SSR Airport and the coordination between the ADSU and customs services. For travellers, it is a reminder that all arrivals at SSR are subject to thorough screening. For residents and the wider public, it underscores ongoing efforts to intercept drug shipments before they reach Mauritian communities.

Source: ION News