Gendarmes of the Saint-Pierre PSIG, the gendarmerie’s surveillance and intervention platoon, watched a suspected drug sale at a fruit and vegetable stand in front of the Roches Maigres vocational school in Saint-Louis on Wednesday 26 August 2026.[1] They stopped the buyer and found 13 g of zamal, cannabis in Réunion’s Creole, on him.[1] The seller, a fruit and vegetable vendor, was arrested and the autonomous territorial brigade of Saint-Louis gendarmerie opened a flagrant inquiry.[1] LINFO reported that the gendarmes confirmed their suspicions by checking the buyer, who held 13 g of zamal.[2]

Under his stand officers found 210 g of packaged zamal and 2,199 euros in cash.[3] A search of his home turned up another 1,274 g of zamal and 14,530 euros.[3] Le Quotidien puts the total at 1.484 kg of zamal and 16,729 euros in cash.[3] Réunion La 1ère describes the haul as close to 1.5 kg of drugs and more than 16,000 euros.[1] Réunion La 1ère reports pouches and rolls of zamal packed for sale beneath the fruit, along with large sums in cash.[1] Imaz Press said more than 16,000 euros in cash was found at the suspect’s home.[4] The gendarmerie said selling drugs next to a school is an aggravating circumstance that draws reinforced surveillance from its units.[4]

The man faces judicial proceedings, and no charge, custody ruling or sentence has been reported.[3] The gendarmerie stressed that zamal is not a synthetic drug and lacks the sudden effects of crack, but remains a narcotic that harms health.[1] It said both selling and buying or using are offences that lead to convictions and can even cost a driving licence.[1]