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A British mom and son have just been caught hiding out in upmarket Cape Town suburbs after fleeing their home country for dealing in drugs and money laundering.

An application to extradite Caroline Sevier, 51, and Callum Gower, 27, to their hometown of Sussex in England is underway in the Cape Town court.

Gower was arrested after a warrant for his arrest was issued on charges of dealing in drugs, money laundering, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, possession of a dangerous weapon and pointing of an object believed to be a firearm. His mother was arrested on charges of dealing in drugs and money laundering.

Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said via IOL they were busted in Constantia and Sea Point on January 26 after being traced by Interpol, UK authorities, the National Task Force and the Hawks.

In the extradition application, the Chief Crown Prosecutor said the information compiled in the application dated back to June 2020 when a warrant of arrest was issued for Gower.

Gower and his mother had been accused of running drug houses in Hastings since 2014, according to statements by UK detectives. When they raided his home, police managed to confiscate £23,075 (R554,000) in cash and drugs valued at nearly £400,000 (R9,6 million).

The court documents stated that in March 2017, Sevier was stopped by police while driving her blue Vauxhall Astra and police seized a set of keys in her possession.

When they arrived at the home, they discovered a massive stash of drugs hidden all across the house comprising of dagga, MDMA, cocaine and other drugs.

Fingerprints confirmed that Gower had been handling these illicit substances.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said that charges were opened against him in the UK and he fled before he was arrested.

“His mother, Caroline Sevier, was arrested in the UK and charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine, conspiracy to supply cannabis and conspiracy to supply meth.”

“She was released on bail but fled to South Africa.”

Gower was found in Constantia and proceeded with his bail application yesterday while his mother was caught in Sea Point and should have appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court for her bail hearing already.

“There is an extradition request for both of them and the State will strenuously oppose their bail application.”

Representing Gower, advocate Bruce Hendricks noted that Gower, who has a visitor’s visa and is a crypto entrepreneur, came to Cape Town in 2019 with his fiancée on holiday but then decided to stay.

He described it as a booming industry and said he rented the home in Constantia and had lived in Hout Bay before. He said he would plead not guilty to all charges and if his bail was denied, he would suffer as he is a father of two without any criminal convictions.

Gower described the conditions at Pollsmoor Prison as “horrendous”, saying “It lacks dignity and basic human rights”.

“On a daily basis I have to dodge violence and extortion,” he concluded.

Well, you know what they say – you make your bed, you lie in it.

[source:iol]