Woman accused of smuggling drugs inside sanitary pad asks court for conditional release, but remand is extended

A woman arrested for smuggling drugs into the Maldives hidden inside the sanitary pad she had been wearing has asked the court to release her from custody.

The 32‑year‑old Maldivian woman has been in custody since May on suspicion of importing drugs into the country. Her lawyer asked the court on Monday to relax her remand and release her under conditions, but the state opposed the request. The Criminal Court extended her remand for another 15 days.

According to the arrest warrant, an X‑ray scan showed she was concealing an item inside her clothing. When questioned, she admitted it was cocaine. Officers then found 30 packets of drugs hidden between her body and her jeans, allegedly concealed within two sanitary pads.

Importing 31 grams of cocaine is a serious offence under the Narcotics Drugs Act. Section 104 states that bringing a Schedule I substance into the Maldives constitutes the offence of drug importation. Cocaine is listed under Schedule I, and any quantity of five grams or more is legally considered “importing drugs into the Maldives for the purpose of trafficking” under the Penal Code. The amount in this case is significantly higher than that threshold.

If convicted, she faces life imprisonment and a fine between MVR 100,000 and MVR 10,000,000. Offences of this severity are treated as threats to public safety, and suspects may be held in remand pending trial.

Under Maldivian law, if such substances are found in a person’s possession or control, it is legally presumed that the items were imported by that individual. The presumption can only be overturned if the defence proves in court that the importation occurred without the person’s knowledge.