Three individuals have been arrested in two separate drug busts.

The Maldives Police Service (MPS) made the arrests during operations conducted as part of their ongoing efforts to curb drug trafficking and smuggling across the Maldives and crackdown on such networks.

As such, officers stationed in Hoarafushi island of Haa Alif atoll and the Police Intelligence Unit jointly conducted an operation on the island after being tipped off that drugs were being trafficked on the island.

During the operation officers confiscated three empty film cannisters filled with suspected narcotics.

A 35-year-old and a 38-year-old were arrested in connection with the operation, conducted in three residences.

Another operation was conducted in Komandoo island of Shaviyani atoll on September 5, after police received an intel report that drugs were being smuggled into the island from capital Malé City.

Officers stopped and searched a 41-year-old on the island’s harbor during the operation, upon which two rubber packets and a piece of cellophane filled with suspected narcotics, were found on him.

Upon being presented to the Komandoo Magistrate Court for his remand hearing, the 41-year-old was remanded by 15 days, at a facility allocated by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Both of the cases are currently under further investigation.