British mother-of-two arrested in Mauritius after 'attempting to smuggle cannabis inside six-year-old son’s suitcase'
A British mother-of-two has been arrested in Mauritius after she was accused of trying to smuggle cannabis inside her six-year-old son’s suitcase.
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Natashia Artug, 35, from Cambridgeshire, was one of seven people detained by authorities who accused them of hiding more than 161kg of cannabis in their luggage.
With an estimated street value of around £1.6 million, the group were detained by border officials, with each suspect found to be carrying Apple AirTags to track their location.
The tags were found attached to items held by the Brits, with each of the seven found to be carrying up to £900 in cash.
Ms Artug, originally from Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, was arrested alongside her partner, 38-year-old Florian Lisman, a Romanian national, as they attempted to enter the country at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport last month.
Now, a non-profit charity acting on behalf of the British national has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £5,000 in a bid to fight the charges.
The mother-of-two was found to be carrying 24 packages of drugs wrapped in clear cellophane in her and her son's suitcases, with the contraband weighing approximately 14kg, according to the Mail Online.
Ms Artug's sons have now reportedly been flown back to the UK and are staying with their dad, according to reports.
Those convicted of drug convictions in Mauritius face a maximum of 45-year behind bars.
Among the group of Brits detained were Shannon Ellen Josie Holness 29, Patrick Lee Wilsdon, 22, Lily Watson, 20, Shona Campbell, 32, and Laura Amy Kappen 28.
Each member of the group is said to have been carrying between 30 and 32 packages, according to local news outlet Le Mauricien.
Ms Artug, who has been described as a ‘vulnerable’ adult, is thought to have been coerced into travelling to Mauritius by locals involved in the drug trade.
The drug mules are thought to have been threatened by the criminals, who pledged to harm their families, Justice Abroad said in a statement.
Natashia’s partner was found with 32 drug packages of drugs on his person, an iPhone and £260 pounds.
Justice Abroad, a charity representing Brits locked up abroad, has now launched a Crowdfunding campaign to raise £5,000 towards her legal costs.
The organisers say: "Natashia is a single mother of two, who suffers from Fibromyalgia but who attends university and is working to give her children a better future.
"‘She was coerced into travelling to Mauritius with her young son, and to carry the luggage which she did not know contained cannabis, by individuals involved in the drugs trade who took advantage of her vulnerability and made threats to cause serious violence to her and her family if she refused to obey their orders.
"This case raises serious concerns about the exploitation of a young mother by a criminal gang.
"She now faces criminal trial in Mauritius separated from her children and without the resources to mount an adequate defence and to put together the evidence of the duress and exploitation which resulted in her being involved in."
LBC has contacted the Foreign Office for comment.