(Seychelles News Agency) - The Seychelles National Drugs Enforcement Agency, NDEA, has reported the seizure of compressed cannabis with a street value of some $160 thousand which it has termed as “one of the largest drug seizures” this year.

The seizure was done yesterday during an early morning operation which the NDEA said was carried out in close collaboration with the Seychelles Port authorities.

“The drugs are believed to have arrived in the country on board a fishing reefer en route to Seychelles from Madagascar,” reads an NDEA statement issued this morning.

Six people including a Honduran national who works as a seaman on board the ship were arrested during the operation.

NDEA’s Deputy Chief Officer Liam Quinn confirmed to SNA that they followed up on information received which led them to a house at English River, central district of the Seychelles main island of Mahé, where the drugs were seized.

According to Quinn most of the six people were arrested in the English River area while the Honduran national, who was implicated was arrested on board the ship.

Compressed cannabis seized by the NDEA during the operation yesterday that led to the arrest of six people. (NDEA) Photo License: CC-BY

Quinn also confirmed that two of the six people were released due to insufficient evidence for them to be brought before the courts.

“Four of those arrested have appeared in court, where an application for a remand will be considered pending the completion of investigations into the incident,” reads the NDEA statement.

The Honduran national is among the four that have appeared before the courts.

Following this latests seizure, the anti-narcotics agency values at $2.8 million (39.3 million Seychelles rupees) the total of 84.5 kilograms of drugs removed from the streets since the beginning of this year.

“This figure includes 81.7 kilograms of cannabis in its various forms, 2.8 kilograms of heroin and 985 cannabis plants."

According to the NDEA its officers have carried out 10,504 operations since the beginning of this year "as part of its relentless fight against illegal drugs in all its manifestations.”