Seychelles Arrests Eight Iranians and Destroys Dhow Smuggling $23M of Drugs
Authorities in the Seychelles have arrested eight Iranian nationals suspected of drug trafficking. Its Defence Force intercepted a stateless dhow that was loaded with opioids and cocaine worth €20 million ($23.2 million).
The Seychelles Defense Forces (SDF) on May 24, successfully tracked, intercepted, and boarded a suspect dhow that was found to be carrying a substantial quantity of narcotics during an intelligence-led surveillance and monitoring operation supported by the French Navy.
The flagless dhow was operating within the Seychelles maritime area of interest, something that prompted law enforcement authorities to deploy the Coast Guard patrol ship Andromache, which managed to intercept the dhow.
SDF is highlighting that initial checks and documentation recovered on board the vessel indicated that the dhow and its eight crew members were of Iranian origin. A comprehensive search led to the discovery of several concealed packages hidden in various compartments of the vessel. Preliminary tests confirmed the presence of opioids and cocaine.
Packages found hidden on the dhow (SDF)
Following the operation, the dhow and its illicit contents were disposed of at sea in accordance with applicable procedures. The destruction of the dhow and the drugs is the first operation since the archipelago in the western Indian Ocean amended its Drug Enforcement Agency regulation to include Section 10, which provides a clear legal framework for the disposal of seized drugs and vessels in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The island nation has a zero-tolerance policy towards the trafficking and importation of illegal drugs. Trafficking of controlled drugs carries a maximum of life imprisonment and a maximum fine of $53,000.
According to the country’s presidency, the successful interception of the narcotics-laden dhow is a powerful testament to the government’s resolute and uncompromising stance against drug trafficking.
“This operation is not a matter of chance, it is the direct result of a clear, strategic and well-resourced anti-narcotics policy that has equipped our defence and security forces with the intelligence capabilities, training and mandate to act decisively,” said the President's Office in a statement.
The statement added that by investing in a coordinated multi-agency approach, the government has demonstrated that protecting communities from the scourge of illicit drugs is not merely a political statement, but a living commitment backed by action.
that matters most
Get the latest maritime news delivered to your inbox daily.
The interception of the dhow is the latest since the country resolved to increase patrols in its sprawling 1.3-million-square-kilometer territorial waters. A case in point was in 2023 when authorities intercepted a dhow transporting 622.6 kilograms of heroin and 388.6 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Following the successful operation, SDF is reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding the archipelago’s maritime domain and supporting regional and international efforts aimed at combating illicit trafficking and transnational organized crime in the Indian Ocean.