Phuket Nightclub Boss Sought in Connection with 1.5-Tonne Cannabis Smuggling Operation

A British-Mauritian dual national based in Thailand has been identified by anti-drug detectives as the suspected mastermind behind a high-seas 1.5-tonne cannabis smuggling operation. The suspect, Nishal D., manages a nightclub in Phuket, Thailand, and is believed to have orchestrated the shipment from Asia. The Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit (Adsu) obtained this information following the interception of the yacht Dreamer off the coast of Mauritius.

The Passport & Immigration Office (PIO) at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport has issued an “Arrest on Arrival” order for Nishal, who remains abroad. So far, 18 people have been arrested in connection with the international network - nine Mauritian nationals and nine Thai nationals. However, the estimated 1.5-tonne cargo of cannabis remains missing, with Adsu officers continuing intensive investigations to recover the illicit shipment.

Detectives believe Nishal used a “triangular communication” strategy, relying on intermediaries for his transactions to avoid direct links to the operation. Interrogations of couriers working the Thailand–England–Mauritius route, alongside evidence from cannabis seizures at Plaisance airport, have repeatedly linked him to multiple drug shipments. This investigation has also uncovered suspected local accomplices and high-level corruption.

In eastern Mauritius, Roy Dan Dussoye and Marie Kate Stéphanie Hermance were arrested after police seized 792 grams of cannabis, valued at Rs 1.4 million, inside a villa in Trou-d’Eau-Douce. A third suspect, Jean Percy Yani Ramtohul, is under investigation regarding his alleged connection to a vessel. These arrests are part of a larger effort to dismantle the smuggling network.

Detectives are investigating three men — Kurth Lindley Louis, Jean Personne Sando Vletino Thomas, and Kailash Seebaluck — suspected of travelling to the vicinity of Île Ronde (Round Island) to retrieve drug packages on the night of 19 to 20 October. Additionally, port area employee Bryan Fu Kin Lew Tin Wah was arrested on a provisional charge of criminal conspiracy, suspected of transporting the three men.

Two police officers attached to the National Coast Guard — Constable Kevin Rangilal, 27, stationed in the Operations Room, and Bhavish Dhruv Bhunjun, 29 — remain in custody. They are suspected of passing confidential intelligence regarding maritime patrol movements to the captain of the Dreamer to evade surveillance. Authorities hope that Nishal's eventual arrest and interrogation will help dismantle the wider syndicate.

Nishal, originally from eastern Mauritius, was previously arrested by Adsu in 2012 during a controlled delivery operation after officers intercepted a parcel from England containing 20.48 grams of cannabis hidden inside a book. Following that arrest, he left Mauritius for Great Britain before relocating to Thailand. Authorities are working to identify the individuals who financed, organised, and received the multi-million rupee drug shipment.

Key points

• Nishal D., a Phuket nightclub manager, is suspected of masterminding the 1.5-tonne cannabis smuggling operation.
• 18 people have been arrested in connection with the international network, but the 1.5-tonne cargo of cannabis remains missing.
• Authorities suspect high-level corruption and have arrested several individuals, including police officers, in connection with the smuggling operation.