A major operation was launched on Thursday morning, September 8, to track down two occupants of a van who managed to flee after police officers from the Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit (Adsu) of the Northern Division managed to remove a travel bag containing 10.5 kilos of cannabis. Before this vehicle fled, the Adsu officers managed to intercept a car with two residents of Grand-Gaube on board in the early hours of Thursday morning, September 8, at the junction of the M1 motorway coming from the Menagerie road, Cassis. The driver of the car, Georges Désiré Lafleur, 39, and Guillano Ludovic Thomas, 42, were arrested. They had behind their respective seats a 1.05 kilo parcel of cannabis. The total market value of the seized drugs is Rs 15 million. The Adsu suspects that the drugs originated from Reunion Island.
It is on the basis of certain information that a team of the Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit (Adsu) of the Northern Division, led by Chief Inspector Seeven Valaydon, landed in the capital shortly before 2.30am on Thursday morning, September 8. It was just outside this junction on the M1 motorway that this car was intercepted as it was about to cross in front of the Hindu House to head north. At the same time a van travelling in the same direction had to accelerate to evade the checkpoint. It was chased and intercepted. Adsu officers managed to open its sliding door to remove a travel bag. However, the driver managed to take control of the vehicle and escape. In the meantime, the car, which was immobilised, was subjected to a search. Two parcels weighing 1.05 kilos each were found in the back seats of the driver and his passenger.
The two suspects and the seized drugs were taken to Adsu headquarters. Samples were taken and DNA tests were carried out. The drugs will later be sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis. Georges Lafleur and Ludovic Thomas were charged with drug trafficking.
In the meantime, Adsu investigators followed the van’s route on Safe City cameras in order to trace it back to the driver. The owner is also wanted. The investigation is under the supervision of Assistant Police Commissioners Sharir Azima and Deosagur Ramgoolam, respectively the acting Adsu boss and Adsu head of the northern division.
