Grand-Bois Mason, 24, Arrested After ADSU Finds 186 Cannabis Plants

A 24-year-old mason from Grand-Bois, a village in the south of Mauritius, was arrested early on Sunday 8 November 2026 after anti-drug officers discovered an illicit cannabis cultivation at his home.

Officers from the Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit (ADSU), the specialised police division responsible for drug enforcement in Mauritius, carried out a search of the property at 6:10 in the morning. During the raid they found a printed piece of paper containing 0.9 grams of cannabis.

The more significant find was outside. Police uprooted 186 cannabis plants growing on the premises. The plants ranged in height from 3 centimetres to 40 centimetres and had a combined weight of 36 grams.

The young man was arrested and placed in police custody following the seizure. The investigation is ongoing.

Grand-Bois is a small locality in the Savanne district in the southern part of the island, roughly 40 kilometres from Port Louis.

The ADSU regularly conducts early-morning raids across Mauritius targeting small-scale drug cultivation and distribution. Cannabis remains a controlled substance under Mauritian law, and growing plants, even at a small scale, carries serious legal consequences. Possession and cultivation can result in prosecution before the Intermediate Court or the Supreme Court depending on the quantity involved, with penalties ranging from fines to custodial sentences.

What this means: Cases like this reflect the ADSU's continued focus on domestic cannabis cultivation, which authorities view as a concern even when quantities are relatively small. A person found growing cannabis plants in Mauritius faces charges that go beyond simple possession, as cultivation implies intent to produce a controlled drug. The suspect will likely appear before a magistrate once the investigation is complete.

Source: ION News