Latest news with #SirSeewoosagurRamgoolamAirport
Sunday World
4 days ago
- Sunday World
British boy (6) arrested in Mauritius after £1.6m of cannabis found in luggage
The child was stopped alongside six other British citizens on the tropical Indian Ocean island on Sunday by customs officials The boy has now flown home with his dad A six-year-old British boy has been arrested in Mauritius after £1.6million of cannabis was found in the luggage of the group he was travelling with. The child was stopped alongside six other British citizens on the tropical Indian Ocean island on Sunday by customs officials at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport. They discovered 14 kilos of cannabis concealed in the boy's bag alongside 17 kilos in the luggage belonging to one other individual. The boy has now flown home with his dad News in 90 Seconds - June 28th Altogether, 161 kilos of the drug were found hidden throughout several other suitcases as well as 11 numbered Apple AirTags. This has led investigators to suspect the operation may have been linked to an organised crime gang responsible for smuggling drugs from Europe into Mauritius. They believe the child was used as a drugs mule, which they have condemned as 'inhumane,' according to The Sun. The six arrested adults from Cambridgeshire include Laura Kappen (28), a bar worker from Orton Goldhay, Shannon Holness (29) a caterer, from Bretton and Shona Campbell (33), a cleaner from Standground. The other two are Lily Watson, a caterer from Peterborough and window fitter Patrick Wilsdon (21) also from Peterborough. A Romanian machine operator living in Huntingdon, named as Florian Lisman (38) was also arrested. The seven arrested men and women appeared in court on Monday, in Mahébourg, and remain in custody, while the youngster has since returned to the UK with his father, who flew out to Mauritius to collect him. Carly Wilsdon described her son Patrick who had only been abroad once before as 'vulnerable'. 'It is so hard,' she told The Sun. "He has never been in trouble and only been abroad once before. 'I missed a call from him on the day they arrived. I thought it was to show me the apartment. I can't believe what's happened.' She added: 'We've had no contact with him. He's got lots of issues, he's vulnerable. It has been reported that Patrick had been offered a 'free holiday' to Mauritius and '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,' she said. The incident is the latest in a number of British citizens accused of smuggling drugs who have been arrested abroad. They include 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. Bella May Culley (18) was intercepted by police in Georgia for allegedly smuggling cannabis. A Foreign Office spokesperson said they were supporting 'several British nationals who are detained in Mauritius and are in contact with the local authorities'.
Mint
5 days ago
- Mint
Six-year-old arrested in Mauritius: Cannabis worth ₹18.8 crore found in luggage during airport raid
A six-year-old British boy was arrested in Mauritius after £1.6 million ( ₹ 18.8 crore) worth of cannabis was found in his luggage. The child arrived with six British adults earlier this week. Officials found 14 kilos of cannabis in the child's bag and more in others' suitcases, totalling 161 kilos. Authorities called using a child for smuggling 'inhumane', according to The Sun. Eleven Apple AirTags were found, suggesting links to a drug gang, according to MailOnline. The boy has now returned to the UK with his father. The adults remain in custody after appearing in court. The drugs were found during a joint airport raid by customs and anti-drug teams. Shocked families back home said they had no idea. All six adults are from Cambridgeshire. They are Laura Kappen (28), a bar worker; Shannon Holness (29), a caterer; Shona Campbell (33), a cleaner; Lily Watson, also a caterer; and Patrick Wilsdon (21), a window fitter. A Romanian man, Florian Lisman (38), living in Huntingdon and working as a machine operator, was also arrested. The group is suspected of being part of a wider network smuggling drugs from Europe to Mauritius. The case has shocked officials at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport. It has raised concerns about child exploitation in drug trafficking. Wilsdon was described by his mother as vulnerable and unaware. She claimed the 21-year-old had been offered a 'free holiday' by a friend who had now gone missing. A UK Foreign Office spokesperson said they are supporting the arrested British citizens in Mauritius. 'We are supporting several British nationals who are detained in Mauritius and are in contact with the local authorities,' MailOnline quoted the spokesperson as saying. The case adds to a growing list of British nationals caught abroad for drug smuggling. In May, Charlotte May Lee, 21, was arrested in Sri Lanka after 46kg of cannabis was reportedly found in her bags. The South London resident denies knowing about the drugs. She hasn't been charged yet. If guilty, she may face 25 years in prison.
Mint
5 days ago
- Mint
Six-year-old arrested in Mauritius: Cannabis worth ₹18.8 crore found in luggage during airport raid
A six-year-old British boy was arrested in Mauritius after £1.6 million ( ₹ 18.8 crore) worth of cannabis was found in his luggage. The child arrived with six British adults earlier this week. Officials found 14 kilos of cannabis in the child's bag and more in others' suitcases, totalling 161 kilos. Authorities called using a child for smuggling 'inhumane', according to The Sun. Eleven Apple AirTags were found, suggesting links to a drug gang, according to MailOnline. The boy has now returned to the UK with his father. The adults remain in custody after appearing in court. The drugs were found during a joint airport raid by customs and anti-drug teams. Shocked families back home said they had no idea. All six adults are from Cambridgeshire. They are Laura Kappen (28), a bar worker; Shannon Holness (29), a caterer; Shona Campbell (33), a cleaner; Lily Watson, also a caterer; and Patrick Wilsdon (21), a window fitter. A Romanian man, Florian Lisman (38), living in Huntingdon and working as a machine operator, was also arrested. The group is suspected of being part of a wider network smuggling drugs from Europe to Mauritius. The case has shocked officials at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport. It has raised concerns about child exploitation in drug trafficking. Wilsdon was described by his mother as vulnerable and unaware. She claimed the 21-year-old had been offered a 'free holiday' by a friend who had now gone missing. A UK Foreign Office spokesperson said they are supporting the arrested British citizens in Mauritius. 'We are supporting several British nationals who are detained in Mauritius and are in contact with the local authorities,' MailOnline quoted the spokesperson as saying. The case adds to a growing list of British nationals caught abroad for drug smuggling. In May, Charlotte May Lee, 21, was arrested in Sri Lanka after 46kg of cannabis was reportedly found in her bags. The South London resident denies knowing about the drugs. She hasn't been charged yet. If guilty, she may face 25 years in prison. British teenager Bella Culley was arrested in Tbilisi, Georgia, for allegedly bringing in large amounts of drugs. Police found 12kg of marijuana and 2kg of hashish. During a court hearing, the 18-year-old said she was pregnant.
The Sun
5 days ago
- The Sun
Brit boy, 6, arrested in £1.6m smuggling plot after 14kgs of drugs found stuffed in his case when he landed in Mauritius
A SIX-year-old British boy was arrested in Mauritius suspected of smuggling part of a £1.6million dope haul stuffed inside his wheelie case. The lad was picked up by customs officials along with his mum and five other Brits as they arrived on the tropical island on Sunday. 6 6 6 Suspicious customs officials swooped at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport and found a whopping 161 kilos of cannabis stuffed into several suitcases belonging to the group, including 14 kilos hidden inside the child's bag. The boy's mum was also arrested and had 17 kilos hidden in her own bags. The other Brits arrested included Laura Kappen, 28, a bar worker from Orton Goldhay, Cambs, Shannon Holness, 29, a caterer, from Bretton, Cambs, Shona Campbell, 33, a cleaner from Standground, Cambs, Lily Watson, a caterer from Peterborough, Cambs, and window fitter Patrick Wilsdon, 21, also from Peterborough. Romanian national, Florian Lisman, 38, a machine operator living in Huntingdon, was also arrested. Authorities on Mauritius branded the use of a child in the audacious drug smuggling plot as 'inhumane". On Wednesday the boy, who had no clue of the drugs in his bag, was flown back to the UK with his dad who came to collect him. Eleven numbered Apple AirTags found with the massive drugs haul, suggest the group was likely part of an organised crime network responsible for transporting drugs from Europe to Mauritius. The drugs cache was found during a joint operation by the Customs Anti-Narcotics Section (CANS) and the Anti-Drug & Smuggling Unit (ADSU) at the airport. The group had flown into Mauritius on a British Airways flight from London Gatwick last Sunday. The accused appeared in court in Mahébourg on June 23 and seven remain in custody. A Foreign Office spokesperson said: 'We are supporting several British nationals who are detained in Mauritius and are in contact with the local authorities.' Accused Patrick's shocked mother Carly Wilsdon said her son had just started work as a window fitter in Peterborough and had gone to Mauritius after being offered a 'free holiday'. It was only the second time he had been abroad in his life. She said: 'He was told it was a free holiday. He wouldn't have known what he was doing because he wouldn't get involved in drugs. 6 'The person who told them about this free holiday is one of his circle of friends but now he has disappeared. 'He told them that he had been before and that they would meet someone there. There was no mention of drugs. 'It is so hard. He could be looking at 30 years. He has never been in trouble and only been abroad once before. 'I missed a call from him on the day they arrived. I thought it was to show me the apartment. I can't believe what's happened.' She added: 'We've had no contact with him. He's got lots of issues, he's vulnerable. 'He doesn't know any of the group. He just went there with his girlfriend Lily Watson.' Speaking outside her home on the outskirts of Peterborough, a relative of Laura Kappen said: 'She is not a bad kid. She's never done anything wrong in her life but I guess she has done something foolish. Someone must have enticed them with money.' A relative of Shona Campbell said: 'It is really difficult. She's got two little kids and they don't know. It's horrible.' Spate of Brit drug arrests worldwide A SLEW of drug mule cases invovling Brits have emerged in the last few weeks In April-May, Two other Brit women were arrested abroad for alleged drug smuggling. Glam tourist Bella Culley allegedly tried to smuggle a suitcase of weed into Georgia and was locked away in a brutal ex-Soviet prison despite claiming to be pregnant. The 18-year-old was sent to the brutal Women's Penitentiary No. 5 in the town of Rustavi - a slammer notorious for its hellish conditions just outside Tbilisi. She had originally jetted to the Philippines to meet an old friend, but reportedly changed her plans last minute to go to Thailand with a gang of British lads unknown to her. A sentence ranging from 20 years to life could be a possibility for teen Bella from County Durham, according to prosecutors. Meanwhile, former air stewardess Charlotte May Lee was then caught allegedly trying to smuggle drugs worth £1.2million into Sri Lanka. Her two suitcases were said to have been stuffed with 46kg of a synthetic cannabis strain known as kush — which is 25 times more potent than opioid fentanyl. If found guilty, South Londoner Charlotte could face a 25-year sentence. Meanwhile, a young mum is being detained in Germany for allegedly smuggling cannabis in her bags on a flight from Thailand - in yet another shocking case. Glamorous Cameron Bradford, 21, from Knebworth, Herts, was detained at Munich Airport on April 21 as she tried to collect her luggage. It comes as a Brit couple claiming to be tourists from Thailand have been busted with more than 33kg of cannabis in their suitcases at a Spanish airport. The pair were picked out by suspicious cops at Valencia Airport after displaying a 'nervous and evasive attitude' and are now behind bars on drug trafficking charges. Experts told The Sun how wannabe Brit Insta stars are being lured by cruel gangs into carting drugs across the world. The drugs bust comes amid a spate of British drug mule arrests in recent months. Brit Lee Adams, who went missing on Mauritius, was arrested on May 24 on suspicion of smuggling £110,000 worth of cannabis into the East African nation. Lee, 40, from Yardley, Birmingham, was intercepted as he arrived at the airport and customs officers found 5.75 kilos of cannabis concealed in his suitcase. According to local news reports Adams, who was confronted with the evidence during an interrogation, admitted his role and was arrested on the spot. Investigators immediately launched a "controlled delivery" operation on the holiday island and two suspected accomplices, both believed to be British, were also arrested. An investigation has been launched and the trio remain in custody.
Scottish Sun
11-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
Glut of Brit ‘drug mule' suspects grows after ANOTHER is arrested for ‘smuggling £110k of cannabis' to honeymoon island
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A BRIT who went missing in Mauritius has been arrested on suspicion of smuggling £110,000 worth of cannabis onto the tropical island. Lee Adams, 40, was intercepted as he arrived at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport in the tiny East African country. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Lee Adams (L) was intercepted as he arrived at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport Credit: Facebook 6 It's understood Adams, from Yardley, Birmingham, was behaving suspiciously as he got off the flight from London Gatwick Credit: Facebook 6 Adams, who works for a recruitment agency, failed to convince officials of the true nature of his trip Credit: Facebook It's understood Adams, from Yardley, Birmingham, was behaving suspiciously as he got off the flight from London Gatwick on May 24 and caught the eye of customs officers. And when Adams, who works for a recruitment agency, failed to convince officials of the true nature of his trip, officers from the Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit (ADSU) swooped. The officers found 5.75 kilos of cannabis with a street value of £110,000 concealed within his suitcase. According to local news reports Adams, who was confronted with the evidence during an interrogation, admitted his role and was arrested on the spot. Investigators immediately launched a "controlled delivery" operation on the holiday island and two suspected accomplices, both believed to be British, were also arrested. The trio appeared before Mahébourg District Court on drug trafficking charges on May 26. An investigation has been launched and they currently remain in custody. Married Adams had told family and friends back in the UK that he had taken a job doing demolition and security work on Mauritius. But when he failed to make contact with his wife Rebecca he was reported missing in a frantic Facebook post. A source said: 'He knew a friend in Mauritius, with a company paying £4000 a week, he said he couldn't pass it up. I'm one half of the infamous Peru 2 drug mules - this is my warning to Brit tourists & how gangs know EXACTLY who to target 'But then no one heard from him, not even his wife. Rebecca messaged his work pals to see if they'd heard from him and an appeal went out on Facebook. 'It was only then she discovered he'd been arrested when she saw a local news report online.' It's alleged Lee didn't buy his own plane ticket and a source claims another man recruited him for the trip. A Foreign Office spokesperson said: 'We are supporting a number of British nationals detained in Mauritius and are in contact with the local authorities.' The arrest comes amid a spate of similar drug mule cases - with around 13 Brits currently kept in hellhole jails abroad. Three Brits are facing the death penalty in Bali accused of trafficking more than £300,000 worth of cocaine onto the island. A Brit couple were charged with smuggling £1million of cannabis from Thailand a mere few days ago. While several young women have been arrested trying to smuggle cannabis from Thailand. 6 Brit woman Isabella Daggett was arrested just weeks after relocating to Dubai 6 Brit student Bella May Culley was arrested in Georgia after allegedly carrying drugs into the country from Thailand 6 Brit Charlotte May Lee was arrested in Sri Lanka after allegedly trying to smuggle in drugs In the last couple of months, glam tourist Bella Culley allegedly tried to smuggle a suitcase of weed into Georgia and was locked away in a brutal ex-Soviet prison despite claiming to be pregnant. And former air stewardess Charlotte May Lee was then caught allegedly trying to smuggle drugs worth £1.2million into Sri Lanka. Young mum, Cameron Bradford, 21, from Knebworth, Herts, was detained at Munich Airport on April 21 as she tried to collect her luggage. Separately, two drug-smuggling pals were caught with 35kg of cannabis at the airport after a "shopping trip" to New York. And Isabella Daggett, 21, was arrested just five weeks after she relocated to Dubai from Yorkshire after landing a new job. The Brit woman is rotting inside Dubai's hellhole prison on alleged drug charges fell in with "wrong people at the wrong time", her family has said. Glamorous Sophie Bannister and Levi-April Whalley landed back on UK soil with their suitcases seemingly packed full of shopping. The pair, both 30, were stopped at Birmingham International Airport with more than 35kg of cannabis in their bags. Bannister, now of Cotton Lane, Manchester, was sentenced to 20 months suspended for 18 months, with 30 days rehabilitation activities and 200 hours of unpaid work. Whalley, of Livesey Branch Road, Blackburn, was handed a 16-month sentence suspended for 18 months, with 10 days rehabilitation and 80 hours of unpaid work.
