Three British women have been detained in Mauritius after a group of nine passengers were found with over £4million worth of cannabis in their suitcases.

Shania Mabel Rosalind Wood, Alethea Jade Demitre and Chloe Nancy Parker were arrested in what has been described as 'one of the largest' drug seizures at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (SSR) on May 29.

Between eight suitcases 212kg of cannabis, worth an estimated street value of 254.5 million Mauritian rupees (£4,104,353.22), was seized upon their arrival EK703 from Dubai, at around 4.40pm local time.

Wood, 25, was found with 30 packages of the class B drug weighing 31.10kg, while fellow Brit Demitre, 33, was discovered with 31.11kg of cannabis across 46 packages.

Eighteen-year-old Parker was also found with 46 packages of the drug weighing at 44.95kg.