Deputy Speaker: We cannot rely on uniformed bodies to tackle drugs

Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim said on Monday that the Maldives cannot rely on its uniformed bodies to resolve the drug crisis.

During the parliamentary debate on Monday morning on legislature submitted by the government to amend the Drugs Act, Nazim, a lawmaker from the main ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), said that the Maldivian people want guarantees that drugs will not cross into the country’s borders.

He said that uniformed bodies have grossly failed to provide people with this assurance.

“We cannot afford to trust in our uniform bodies in this matter and just wait and watch,” he said.

“…If they are neglectful of their duties then it is incumbent upon us to tell relevant parties to roll out reforms.”

Nazim said that the country also needs to stop individuals who illicitly enrich themselves by committing drug-related crimes.

He referred to a recent case where authorities raided the K. Thilafushi boatyard of The Hawks - one of the country’s top importers and distributors of fuel - and seized an illegal shipment totaling 1.695 million sticks of Manchester cigarettes from one of Hawks’ ships.

Nazim said the case involves gross negligence from Maldives Customs Service.

The case in question is the subject of an inquiry by the Parliament’s Security Services Committee.

He said the committee will make key recommendations once it finishes the inquiry.

Nazim also expressed concern that drug kingpins remain free and only lower-level criminals are jailed in drug trafficking cases.

The bill, sponsored by Gan MP Yoosuf Nasheed, grants law enforcement agencies more powers to tackle drug-related crimes, criminalizes more drug-related offenses, and reforms drug rehabilitation.