Reply: In regard to part (a) of the question, I am informed by the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) that on 19 June 2025, a bidding exercise has been launched for the procurement of two X-Ray scanners to be installed at the Parcel Post and the Port in Rodrigues. The closing date for submission of bids has been fixed for 23 July 2025. It is expected that the contract will be awarded in October 2025 and the equipment will be commissioned in Rodrigues in January 2026. I am further informed by the MRA that all incoming loose packets and parcels are processed at the Port Louis Post Office commonly known as the Parcel Post Office. Officers of the MRA Customs Anti-Narcotics Section (CANS) and Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit (ADSU) are permanently posted thereat with a specific mandate for the detection of

137 prohibited goods including dangerous drugs. They make use of profiling techniques and X- Ray scanners and they are assisted by the MRA and ADSU K9 Unit whereby sniffer dogs are deployed on a daily basis for sniffing operation. Loose packets and parcels destined for Rodrigues which are suspected to contain dutiable, prohibited goods or products requiring authorization from Other Government Agencies (OGA) such as the Ministry of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries, the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Mauritius Standard Bureau are retained for physical examination by Customs Officers posted at Port Mathurin Post Office. The retained packets and parcels are placed in bags, which are sealed by Officers of the MRA Customs and the Mauritius Post Ltd, to be transported to the airport and to Rodrigues under customs control. This exercise is monitored by the representatives of MRA Customs and the Mauritius Post Ltd. Should the MRA CANS and ADSU have reasons to believe that a particular packet or parcel might contain dangerous drugs, the Officer-in-Charge of the MRA Customs and ADSU of both Mauritius and Rodrigues are immediately notified to that effect. In Rodrigues, Customs Officers posted at the Port Mathurin Post Office carries out a further profiling exercise with the assistance of Police dogs. All the retained suspicious packets and parcels are examined by Customs and ADSU Officers in the presence of the consignee in accordance with section 27 of the Customs Act and the MRA Customs Departmental Instruction No.1 of 2016. In case of any detection of dangerous drugs and other prohibited goods in the parcel, same is secured and handed over to ADSU/CID for safe custody and enquiry. For local parcels and packets destined for Rodrigues, the packaging is done in presence of the representatives of the Mauritius Post Ltd at the Post Office counters. The sender has to provide a detailed list of contents being shipped to Rodrigues. Sniffer dogs are deployed at the Parcel Post Office for the detection of prohibited goods. Scanning exercise is also carried out whenever necessary. All the operations are carried out in the presence of representatives of Mauritius Post Ltd, prior to dispatching to Rodrigues. Customs Officers posted at the Port Mathurin Post Office carry out a profiling exercise to identify any suspicious packet and parcel for physical examination.

138 In regard to part (b) of the question, I am informed by the Commissioner of Police that for year 2020 to 03 July 2025, two cases of Possession of Dangerous Drugs concerning loose parcels at Port Mathurin Post Office were reported as follows – (i) on 18 August 2020, two male persons were arrested when they came to collect their loose parcel which contained 1.44 grams of heroin having a street value of Rs 15,000. They were sentenced on 15 September 2023, and (ii) on 14 May 2025, a loose parcel suspected to contain 3.25 grams of Cannabis having a street value of Rs 3,936 remained unclaimed at Port Mathurin Post Office. The report of the Forensic Science Laboratory is awaited for confirmation. Police enquiry is ongoing. ROSE BELLE CIVIL STATUS OFFICE – RELOCATION