A number of arrests have been made by the Maldives Police Service (MPS), through drug operations.

The arrests were made through drug operations in two islands, conducted as part of efforts to curb drug trafficking and smuggling across the Maldives.

The police institution revealed that three individuals were arrested in connection with narcotics.

As such, following a tip-off officers stationed at Ukulhas island in Alif Alif atoll conducted a drug operation on October 22. Arrested from the harbor region of the island was a 31-year-old Maldivian man. Officers confiscated an empty film cannister stuffed with narcotics, upon searching the man.

In an earlier operation conducted in Ukulhas on October 20 in cooperation with the Police Intelligence unit, a 46-year-old Maldivian man was arrested with a box filled with 60 pieces of paper stuffed with narcotics. The operation was provoked by an intel report of drug smuggling.

The 46-year-old man has been remanded at a facility allocated by the Ministry of Home Affairs for 10 days, upon being presented to the Ukulhas Magistrate Court for his remand hearing.

The same day, officers conducted an operation in Addu City’s Hithadhoo district arrested a 44-year-old in possession of an empty film cannister stuffed with drugs. The arrest was made following tip-off that the suspect was transporting drugs from Hithadhoo to Maradhoo.

Upon being presented to the Maradhoo Magistrate Court, the suspect was remanded for 15 days at a remand facility allocated by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Further investigations are currently underway into all three cases.