Criminal and financial investigations in Mauritius

Mauritian authorities have intensified efforts to combat organized crime and financial misconduct. On 20 October, Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam announced the arrest of a major drug baron in Bambous. The operation, involving the Criminal Investigation Division and the GIPM, resulted in the arrest of a 47-year-old man, his mother, and a woman, alongside the recovery of stolen goods valued at over Rs 3 million.

By late October, the scope of investigations expanded to include large-scale narcotics smuggling and financial fraud. Authorities seized 1.5 tonnes of cannabis and hashish, valued at Rs 2.7 billion, from a Thai-flagged yacht off the coast of Baie-du-Tombeau, leading to the arrest of eight individuals. Investigators are looking into whether recent civil unrest in mid-October was used as a diversion for this smuggling operation.

On 29 October, the Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit (ADSU) provided further details regarding the yacht Dreamer. Nine Thai nationals, aged 21 to 50, remain in custody following a court appearance in Port Louis. The investigation has led to the arrest of a Mauritian National Coast Guard (NCG) officer, who faces a provisional charge of conspiracy to import dangerous drugs. Leaked WhatsApp messages between the Thai captain and an NCG member allegedly show the transmission of operational intelligence and instructions on how to handle interrogations.

Simultaneously, the Financial Crimes Commission is seeking Interpol Red Notices for nine individuals, including eight foreign nationals, linked to a Rs 7 billion toxic loans scandal involving the collapse of Silver Bank Ltd. The fugitives, who left the country between early 2023 and early 2025, include the bank's owners and former executives.