A suspicious package coming from South Africa by flight SA 190 on behalf of an express courier company was intercepted by elements of the Custom Anti-Narcotics Section (Cans) of the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA). It was opened in the presence of men of the Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit (Adsu) and it turned out to contain 3.44 kilos of cannabis, both leaves and seeds of this drug. The market value of this drug is Rs 3 652 800. An operation of controlled delivery set up by Adsu allowed the arrest of two suspects. They are, Vincent Donifan Rolfo, 36 years old, an electrician of Cité La Cure and Geenika Padaruth, also known as Nadinee, a 23 years old insurance coordinator of Le Hochet, Terre-Rouge. They are provisionally accused of drug trafficking through the importation of cannabis.
The package arrived in Mauritius on Wednesday, May 10 for an express courier company in Plaine-Magnien. It was addressed to a resident of Baie du Tombeau, which was in fact a fictitious name with a false address. The package was sent to the office of this agency in Port-Louis to be delivered. In the meantime, the Cans men recalled the package on Saturday, May 13, after getting information that it might contain drugs. This information was confirmed when it was opened in the presence of Adsu police officers. It contained 3.44 kilos of cannabis. The drug was hidden in a piece of PVC pipe.
A field test conducted by Cans confirmed that the substance was cannabis. The sniffer dog Cesar passed positively on the presence of drugs in this package.
Donifan Rolfo and Geenika Padaruth were arrested in the Port-Louis office of this express courier company around 1:00 pm on Monday, May 15, when they came to take delivery of the drug. The two suspects were taken into custody. On Tuesday morning, May 16, they were brought before the Port-Louis court on charges of drug trafficking. Donifan Rolfo was placed in a cell at the detention center in Vacoas. The young woman is in a cell at the detention center in Moka.
