Fifty individuals were jailed during the past month, with a majority of them being linked to drug cases.

This was revealed by the Maldives Correctional Service (MCS) in its latest prison statistics.

According to the statistics for May, 43 out of the 50 individuals who were put behind bars were slapped with court sentences and are doing time.

Out of the 50, seven are inmates who are remanded under a court order pending the outcome of their trial.

Further, it has been revealed that 62.8 percent of the individuals jailed in May were in connection with drug cases.

The second highest cases are linked to theft and robbery.

20.9 percent of the cases were in connection with cases of theft, robbery and break-ins.

Statistics go on to reveal that 46 individuals were released from jail during May. Out of these, 35 were expediting jail sentences and 11 were remanded for the duration of their trial.

The freed inmates also include 27 inmates who completed their prison sentences, four inmates who were released under clemency and four inmates who were freed under parole.