(Seychelles News Agency) - Using assets in the air and sea, the Seychelles’ National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA) has made the biggest drug seizure of the year so far, an agency official said Wednesday.

Three quarters of a kilo of heroin, valued locally at about $197,000, was seized, the agency’s Deputy Chief Officer Liam Quinn told SNA.

“Following extensive searches that were conducted some 200 nautical miles from shore, a number of vessels were observed," an NDEA statement said. "Following several hours at sea one of the vessels was boarded and the crew taken into custody.”  

Three quarters of a kilo of heroin, valued locally at about $197,000, was seized ( NDEA ) Photo License: CC-BY

Three people were taken into custody during the raid at sea. Officials arrested three more people on Praslin in a follow-up operation. The six suspects appeared in court earlier this week. All six have been remanded pending further investigation.

After the amendment of the Misuse of Drugs Acts in August 2012, offences including manufacturing, importing and trafficking of drugs of an amount in excess of 250 grams carry a potential life sentence.Earlier this year a Kenyan businessman was the second person to be sentenced to life in prison under the act.