A patrol of Grande Rivière Nord-Ouest (GRNO) prison guards on the afternoon of Monday January 8 caught two individuals attempting to send plastic bags from a resident’s yard inside the prison. The two suspects arrested were Alex Speville, a 41-year-old fisherman from Cité Florida, Baie du Tombeau, and Jean David Victor, a 34-year-old driver’s helper from Rue Descarières, Roche-Bois. When confronted with the exhibits, including a plastic bag containing synthetic drugs, a box of cigarettes containing a cell phone with its battery but without the sim card, two sealed packs of cigarettes, two condoms, a chuwing gum and another condom, David Victor declared, “mo ti pou avoy tou dan prison”.
In a statement made at the La Tour Koenig police station in Pointe aux Sables, a 46-year-old assistant prison superintendent described the circumstances of the two arrests. It was around 1 p.m. on Monday, January 8, when a Lead Prison Officer informed him that he had seen two individuals riding a Suzuki motorcycle along rue Dr Manilall, cité Borstal, GRNO. The two-wheeled vehicle, driven by David Victor, was parked close to the prison wall. The two men looked suspicious. In fact, the same motorcycle had been seen lurking near the prison in the past. Prohibited items sent to the prison had even been reported.
Aboard a vehicle, with a team of prison guards, he had gone to this location. Two individuals were seen in the yard of a private home. David Victor was holding a white plastic bag and was about to throw it into the prison compound, where there are no surveillance cameras. When he saw the prison guards, he had to throw the bag beside him. The two men were approached and questioned about their presence there, to which they had to declare, “nou pe rod boutey labier”.
The owner of the yard told the prison guards that she had never given them permission to enter her home. When the police were alerted to the case, they were quick to arrive and make the two arrests. Alex Speville and David Victor were brought before the Port Louis court on the morning of Tuesday January 9. They are facing a provisional charge of attempting to smuggle drugs into the prison.
