Police arrest 3, confiscate 9.6 kilos of narcotics

Police have confiscated 9.6 kilos of narcotics being smuggled into Maldives on a ship which came from India, making 3 arrests in the case.

Speaking during a press conference held on Monday, Deputy Head of Drug Enforcement Unit of Maldives Police Service, Aminath Suzie said that two Maldivian men were arrested in the control delivery operation run by MPS and Customs – a 26-year-old and a 55-year-old.

And another Maldivian man – a 61-year-old, after that.

Deputy Head of Drug Enforcement Unit of MPS, Aminath Suzie and Chief Superintendent of Customs, Ismail Hamdhoon. Photo: Police

Chief Superintendent of Customs, Ismail Hamdhoon said that they started monitoring the ship’s operations starting from July 7.

He said that the ship was found near Feydhoo Finolhu at around 3:20 pm on Sunday after a 72-hour operation.

Narcotics found on the ship. Photo: Police

“Police and Customs officers boarded the ship and took custody of the ship’s crew. Information was received from the crew after repeated questioning that they transported the narcotics and handed it over to two Maldivians who came to pick it up,” said Hamdhoon.

He said that the narcotics – believed to be heroin – had been hidden inside two putty containers in the ship’s stockroom.

Narcotis found on the ship.Photo: Police

“We found 6 large cellophane packets in one container when we searched the containers in there. And large 4 taped rubber packets in the other container,” explained Hamdhoon.

Suzie declared that the operation was wildly successful, and thanked Coastguard for their assistance.