Visitors banned from carrying items into prison

Maldives Correctional Service has announced that visitors have been banned from carrying any items into prisons.

Information officer for Maldives Correctional Service, Ahmed Lugmaan reported to “Sun” this Thursday that the ban has been in effect from January 19 onwards.

He said the ban was imposed after incidents of narcotics being smuggled into prison inside items brought in by visitors.

Lugmaan said that despite the ban, family members can still send in clothing and money to inmates through Maldives Correctional Service.

He said that celebrations such as cake cutting can be held during family visits, but that cakes and other items cannot be taken into prison.

He said that Maldives Correctional Service was monitoring inmates for signs of any items being smuggled into prison after visits.

Narcotics was recently discovered inside a cake brought in by a woman during a family visit to her brother who is an inmate at Maafushi Prison.

There have also been frequent reports of narcotics being smuggled inside footwear during visits.