(Seychelles News Agency) - The Seychelles’ Magistrate’s Court on Monday remanded a Malagasy man arrested by authorities last week in possession of 1 kg of what is suspected to be heroin.

The 47-year-old man was arrested during a joint operation between officers of the Anti-Narcotics Bureau (ANB) and officers from the Customs Department of the Seychelles Revenue Commission.  

According to a press communiqué from the Anti-Narcotics Bureau, the man was arrested for the offence of importation of a controlled drug after approximately 1 kg of suspected heroin was found in his possession.

The Bureau said the suspect was travelling from Madagascar on board an Air Seychelles flight and landed at the Seychelles International Airport at Pointe Larue on Friday evening.

The case was being heard by Magistrate Andy Asba.

The prosecutor representing the Office of the Attorney-General said that the suspect must be remanded for 14 days as there might be other associates involved in the case, thus, making it an organised crime.

The prosecutor said, “The drug has a street value of 4 million Seychelles rupees ($289,000).”

The Malagasy national is the third foreigner to be arrested in the month of April in possession of illegal drugs.

The Seychelles’ Supreme Court on Monday also charged a 31-year-old female Mozambican national for the offence of the importation of a controlled drug.

The local Anti-Narcotics Bureau said that “the Mozambican was arrested with approximately 3 kg of suspected heroin in her luggage.”

Earlier in April, a Kenyan woman in possession of 210 grammes of cocaine was arrested and subsequently charged by the Seychelles’ Supreme Court.