Cape Town - Shocking court documents have lifted the lid on how a British mom and son duo fled their home country and came to nestle in upmarket Cape Town suburbs while being sought by Interpol.
Details surrounding the investigations into Caroline Sevier, 51, and Callum Gower, 27, come amid an application to extradite them to their hometown of Sussex in England.
Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said 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.
“A 27-year-old 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.
“The 51-year-old was arrested on charges of dealing in drugs and money laundering,” said Mathe.
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.
Statements by UK detectives indicated that Gower and his mother had been accused of running drug houses in Hastings since 2014.
During raids at his home, police confiscated £23 075 (R552 565) in cash and drugs valued at nearly £400 000 (R9 578 600).
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.
Police lifted fingerprints off of the items in the home and found Gower’s prints.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said Gower proceeded with his bail application yesterday while his mother would appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court for her bail hearing today.
“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.
“She was arrested in Sea Point and will apply for bail at Cape Town Magistrate’s Court (today).
“There is an extradition request for both of them and the State will strenuously oppose their bail application.”
Gower, who was represented by advocate Bruce Hendricks, appeared before Magistrate Goolam Bawa on Monday, where Hendricks read out an affidavit on his behalf.
He told the court that Gower came to Cape Town in 2019 with his fiancée on holiday but then decided to stay.
He said he had a visitor’s visa and was a crypto entrepreneur.
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” and compared the hygiene standards with the prisons he had been held in before.
“It lacks dignity and basic human rights. On a daily basis I have to dodge violence and extortion.”
The bail application was postponed to February 27.