Indian Authorities grab MVR 59 mil worth drugs bound to Maldives

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in a joint operation seized contraband, with an estimated worth of MVR 59 million, allegedly being smuggled from India to the Maldives on March 5, 2025.

The Hindu reported that the joint operation was carried out acting on a tip off from the DRI about a drug consignment aboard on a small vessel enroute from Thoothukudi to Maldives capital, Male’ City.

Two ICG ships were deployed and had intercepted the vessel carrying the contraband around 20:00hrs, Indian time, on the south of Gulf of Mannar region – which lies between India’s Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.

ICG officials reportedly boarded the vessels and apprehended the crew on board. The vessel was brought to Thoothukudi harbor for further investigation. The vessel and nine crew members on board were handed over to DRI on Friday, March 7^th.

Indian authorities reported they had discovered hashish oil weighing around 39 kilograms upon examination of the vessel, which has an international market value of MVR 59 million.

Pictures shared about the drug bust on The Hindu showed the contraband were concealed insight snack packages.

This is the second time Indian authorities have intercepted an attempt to smuggle hashish oil to the Maldives. In January, Indian officials apprehended a group of traffickers attempting to transport 12 kilograms of hashish oil to the Maldives, which were being smuggled via a yacht enroute from Tuticorin to Male’ City.

While Indian media has reported on making the recent drug bust bound to Maldives, local authorities have not made any official comments about it so far.