Two Indian youths arrested from Male’ airport with drugs worth MVR 5.27 million

Two young men from India were arrested from the Velana International Airport in Male’ on Friday carrying drugs worth over MVR 5.27 million.

In a statement on Sunday, Maldives Customs announced the seizure of over 11 kilos of drugs from the VIA on Friday; over 5.37 kilos of cannabis leaf and over 6.59 kilos of hashish oil.

The combined street value of the two shipments is estimated to be worth over MVR 9.6 million, with the hashish oil shipment alone worth MVR 5,272,000.

In a statement on Monday, the police said that two Indian nationals were handed over by Customs and subsequently arrested on suspicion of smuggling in the 6.59 kilos of hashish oil.

They were identified as:

• Yuthish Raj Rajan, 27
• Eshvarumuriti Shanmugam, 24

They were both taken to the Criminal Court on Saturday for their remand hearing.

At the hearing, the investigative officer told the Sun that the drugs were found in two pieces of luggage they arrived with.

Rajan claimed he arrived in the Maldives as a tourist and was unaware the luggage contained drugs.

He also said Shanmugam was his friend and had accompanied him to Maldives at his request – something that Shanmugam himself told the court, adding that he does not know anything about the drugs.

Both Rajan and Shanmugam asked for a lawyer.

The court remanded both to custody of the police for 15 days, but granted them the right to apply for a review of their remand once they hire a lawyer.

The drug smuggling case remains under investigation by the police.