A 20-year-old youth has been arrested with 42 rubber packets and seven pieces of cellophane suspected to contain drugs.

The Maldives Police Service (MPS) said Ibrahim Shaain Saeed, 20 of Kamadhoo island of Baa atoll was arrested in connection with the case from Hulhumalé Phase II.

He was arrested on the night of February 27 by officers patrolling Hiyaa Tower 3 in Hulhumalé Phase II. The officers are to have stopped and searched him due to suspicious behavior suggesting possession of illegal items, leading to the discovery of suspected narcotics.

When he was stopped and searched near the north stairwell on the 24th floor of Hiyaa Tower 3, officers found 42 rubber packets and seven cellophane pieces containing suspected drugs.

The provisional weight of the substances is 10.98 grams. In connection with the case, when the suspect was brought before the Hulhumalé Magistrate Court on February 28 to determine his detention status, the court ordered him to be detained for seven days.

Further investigations are currently underway in connection with the case.