Six-year-old British boy is arrested on suspicion of DRUG SMUGGLING in Mauritius 'after £1.6million of cannabis is found in his luggage'
Airport officials swooped on a six-year-old British boy after £1.6million of cannabis was found in his luggage after arriving in Mauritius.
The youngster was arrested alongside six other British citizens who had travelled to the tropical Indian Ocean island on Sunday.
Customs officials at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport were stunned to discover 14 kilos of cannabis concealed in the young boy's bag and 17 kilos in luggage belonging to another individual.
They have condemned the use of the child as a drugs mule as 'inhumane', according to The Sun.
Altogether, 161 kilos of the drug were found hidden throughout several other suitcases.
Eleven numbered Apple AirTags were also discovered, suggesting the operation may have been linked to an organised crime gang responsible for smuggling drugs from Europe to Mauritius.
The six arrested British adults - all from Cambridgeshire - included Laura Kappen, 28, a bar worker from Orton Goldhay, Shannon Holness, 29, a caterer, from Bretton, Shona Campbell, 33, a cleaner from Standground, Lily Watson, a caterer from Peterborough and window fitter Patrick Wilsdon, 21, also from Peterborough.
Romanian national, Florian Lisman, 38, a machine operator living in Huntingdon, was additionally arrested.
The youngster has since returned to the UK with his father, who flew out to Mauritius to collect him.
On Monday, the seven arrested men and women appeared in court in Mahébourg and remain in custody.
The drugs were discovered as part of a joint operation between the Customs Anti-Narcotics Section (CANS) and the Anti-Drug & Smuggling Unit (ADSU) at the airport.
Shocked relatives have said they 'can't believe what's happened' after being alerted to the arrests.
Carly Wilsdon, mother of Patrick Wilsdon, said her son was 'vulnerable' and had only been abroad once before. It is believed he was offered a 'free holiday' to Mauritius.
She said: 'He wouldn't have known what he was doing because he wouldn't get involved in drugs.
'The person who told them about this free holiday is one of his circle of friends but now he has disappeared.'
The incident is the latest in a spate of British citizens arrested abroad accused of smuggling drugs, including former air stewardess Charlotte Lee, who was arrested in May in Sri Lanka, after £1.15million worth of cannabis was allegedly found in her luggage, and Bella May Culley, 18, who was intercepted by police in Georgia for allegedly smuggling cannabis.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: 'We are supporting several British nationals who are detained in Mauritius and are in contact with the local authorities.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Six-year-old British boy is arrested on suspicion of DRUG SMUGGLING in Mauritius 'after £1.6million of cannabis is found in his luggage'
Airport officials swooped on a six-year-old British boy after £1.6million of cannabis was found in his luggage after arriving in Mauritius. The youngster was arrested alongside six other British citizens who had travelled to the tropical Indian Ocean island on Sunday. Customs officials at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport were stunned to discover 14 kilos of cannabis concealed in the young boy's bag and 17 kilos in luggage belonging to another individual. They have condemned the use of the child as a drugs mule as 'inhumane', according to The Sun. Altogether, 161 kilos of the drug were found hidden throughout several other suitcases. Eleven numbered Apple AirTags were also discovered, suggesting the operation may have been linked to an organised crime gang responsible for smuggling drugs from Europe to Mauritius. The six arrested British adults - all from Cambridgeshire - included Laura Kappen, 28, a bar worker from Orton Goldhay, Shannon Holness, 29, a caterer, from Bretton, Shona Campbell, 33, a cleaner from Standground, Lily Watson, a caterer from Peterborough and window fitter Patrick Wilsdon, 21, also from Peterborough. Romanian national, Florian Lisman, 38, a machine operator living in Huntingdon, was additionally arrested. The youngster has since returned to the UK with his father, who flew out to Mauritius to collect him. On Monday, the seven arrested men and women appeared in court in Mahébourg and remain in custody. The drugs were discovered as part of a joint operation between the Customs Anti-Narcotics Section (CANS) and the Anti-Drug & Smuggling Unit (ADSU) at the airport. Shocked relatives have said they 'can't believe what's happened' after being alerted to the arrests. Carly Wilsdon, mother of Patrick Wilsdon, said her son was 'vulnerable' and had only been abroad once before. It is believed he was offered a 'free holiday' to Mauritius. She said: 'He wouldn't have known what he was doing because he wouldn't get involved in drugs. 'The person who told them about this free holiday is one of his circle of friends but now he has disappeared.' The incident is the latest in a spate of British citizens arrested abroad accused of smuggling drugs, including former air stewardess Charlotte Lee, who was arrested in May in Sri Lanka, after £1.15million worth of cannabis was allegedly found in her luggage, and Bella May Culley, 18, who was intercepted by police in Georgia for allegedly smuggling cannabis. A Foreign Office spokesperson said: 'We are supporting several British nationals who are detained in Mauritius and are in contact with the local authorities.'
Telegraph
7 hours ago
- Telegraph
British six-year-old detained ‘for smuggling drugs into Mauritius'
A six-year-old British boy was detained in Mauritius after customs officials found 14 kilograms of cannabis hidden inside his suitcase. The child was stopped at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam airport alongside seven other people as they disembarked from a British Airways flight from Gatwick on Sunday, local media reported. The group was reportedly carrying more than 161 kilograms (355 pounds) of cannabis hidden in their luggage, with the stash valued at £1.6 million. Seven of the suspects were British, including the boy whose luggage reportedly contained 24 packages of drugs wrapped in clear cellophane. The eighth suspect was reported to be a Romanian living in Britain. Mauritian authorities described the use of the child's luggage to transport the drugs as 'outrageous and inhumane', adding 'this is one of the most revolting cases we have encountered in recent years'. Flown back to UK The boy, who was unaware of the contents of his bag, was reportedly flown back to the UK on Wednesday and is staying with his father. The suspects each carried Apple AirTags, which can be fixed to an item to track its location via an app, and up to £900 in cash. Apple trackers are thought to be used by international drug trafficking gangs to help smugglers keep tabs on their shipments. The authorities are reportedly treating the group as part of an organised crime network responsible for smuggling drugs from Europe to Mauritius. Le Mauricien, a local media outlet, reported that seven suspects were charged with drug trafficking and placed in custody. The adult suspects appeared at Mahebourg court on the island's south-eastern coast on Monday, with all remaining in pre-trial detention. Raids on hotels Authorities then carried out a series of targeted raids on hotels containing British nationals after police received a lead that more foreign passengers may have been transporting drugs, local media said. No further suspects were arrested at any of the three locations searched. A Foreign Office spokesman told The Sun newspaper: 'We are supporting several British nationals who are detained in Mauritius and are in contact with the local authorities.'
BBC News
11 hours ago
- BBC News
Why Nigerian authorities declare Speed Darlington wanted
Di National Agency for di Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons [Naptip] don declare Nigerian Content creator, Darlington Okoye wanted. Di anti-trafficking and sexual abuse agency declare Darlington wey pipo sabi as Speed Darlington, wanted in connection wit alleged offences wey include rape, cyberbullying, and cyberstalking. Dis dey come afta Naptip bin invite di rapper and content creator to come ansa kwesion on top accuse wia e admit say im bin sexually abuse pikin. Im wahala start sake of video wey im use im hand post for Instagram live wia e allegedly confess say im bin abuse 15-year-old girl. Dat time, e bin no clear weda e dey serious wit di comment or e just dey do content. Pipo begin drag Naptip put inside di mata sake of say dem want Naptip to torchlight di mata. Mr Okoye bin come for social media to allegedly tok about di time wey im sleep wit 15 year old pikin for hotel and e "disvirgin her and give am 2k". Wen pipo first drag Naptip attention to di trending video, di agency bin direct di mata to di Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) bifor dem decide to handle di case by demsefs. But dis time di agency say if anybody see am make dem report to dem. Authorities bin invite di content creator afta alleged child abuse 'confession video' Speed Darlington and controversy Speed Darling dey always enta tori sake of tins wey dey controversial. E neva tey wey im comot from police hand before e do dis one again. Police bin detain am sake of defamation case against Burna Boy becos of video wey blow afta US rapper Diddy arrest. For one one viral video wey bin spread ontop social media, e show wia, Speed Darlington dey ask Burna Boy how e take win im Grammy award in 2021. Di 39-year-old wey pipo sabi as "Akpi" ask di Grammy award winner, Burna Boy if Diddy rub "oil for im nyash" bifor e win di trophy. "E no tey afta Burna Boy post im foto wit Diddy na im, e win Grammy," e tok "I just dey wonder, Burna Boy I dey ask you kwesion. No vex . How many oil Diddy drop for your nyash bifor dem give you trophy." Video of im arrest bin dey trend ontop social media, afta some pipo escort am comot from im gate. Meanwhile, di main pipo behind di arrest of 'Akpi', as Darlington dey call imsef no come out come tok. Afrobeats giant Burna Boy wey evri body dem call im name no also chook mouth for di mata. Who be Speed Darlington Speed Darlington na di son of Nigeria singer Pericoma Okoye, wey die on 16 February 2017 for Okigwe, Imo state Southest Nigeria. Im mama na Queen Theresa Onuorah. E blow for Nigeria afta im song BangDadaDang! comot for 2017 and pipo start to dey meme am for social media. E even tok say na Diddy bin inspire dat im song wen im drop am. Dat song blow sotay pipo even start to dey play am inside clubs and parties at di time and na wen Speed Darlington start im social media career. At di time wey e get im first hit, im bin dey live for di US but a few years later, e come relocate back to Nigeria. Di 39 year old rapper dey very popular for im social media persona wey im dey take tok about a lot of issues, mostly sex and how to make money.
