Authorities have discovered a copious amount of drugs buried in the wooded area of Hoandedhdhoo island in Gaaf Dhaal atoll.

Maldives Police Service (MPS) revealed that their Drug Enforcement Department (DED), intelligence unit and officers stationed in the south are currently conducting a special operation ިin the area.

As part of the operation which was initiated following an intel report that drugs were being smuggled into the Maldives, officers have confiscated hefty amounts of drugs so far.

The DED is currently running investigations into the drug bust.

Efforts are also underway to search other locations under a court order, as part of the operation.

Commissioner of Police Mohamed Hameed expressed sorrow over the sudden death of Abdulla Rasheed, 43 who was arrested in a counter-drug operation from a café near the harbor of Hoandedhdhoo island on Tuesday.

CP Hameed also revealed that the police institution will provide full support and cooperation for the probe now underway to confirm if there were any police misconduct or not , in how Rasheed's arrest was handled.

He went on to reveal that the police had confiscated drugs that were buried inside the island’s wooded area by another suspect.

The police institution earlier revealed the decision to conduct an autopsy on Abdulla’s body to determine the cause of his death.

The authority earlier revealed that the suspect’s family had consented to the decision. However, speaking to RaajjeMV, the family has revealed that they are against the decision.

Abdulla’s body has since been ground to the Galolhu Cemetery Mortuary.

The family had requested to see the body, on Thursday. However, the police had refused to do so.

The family has also refuted the statement issued by the authority in connection with Abdulla’s death, asserting that MPS needs to take full responsibility for Abdulla’s death and take action against the officers who were found negligent in the case.

RaajjeMV understands that the police institution has decided to go ahead with their decision to send the body for postmortem examinations, against the family’s will.

At a time the police officers who arrested Abdulla have been pinned with several accusations by the family, Minister of Home Affairs Sheikh Imran Abdulla took to Twitter on Tuesday, revealing that the case is being probed under professional standards. The minister revealed that other relevant authorities have also been instructed to pay close attention to the case.

Minister Imran assured that the authority will not back down from taking the adequate action if they find any misconduct on the police institution’s side.

The home minister and President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih have since held discussions where the president instructed the minister to ensure just and impartial investigations are carried out.

Spokesperson at the President’s Office, Miuvaan Mohamed has revealed that the president is closely monitoring the case.