A case has surfaced involving the illegal sale of Buprenorphine, a controlled drug prohibited for sale in the Maldives, reportedly being sold to individuals who use narcotics.

The revelation was made by Lubna Zahir Hussain, Chairperson of the National Drug Agency (NDA), via a post social media platform ‘X’.

According to Lubna, Buprenorphine, classified as a controlled substance under Maldivian law, is being sold illicitly on the local market. She further disclosed that ten tablets of the drug are being sold for MVR 2,000.

Lubna emphasized that the sale of controlled drugs is strictly prohibited under the Narcotics Act and stated that the NDA has now received specific information regarding individuals involved in selling the drug, based on reports from users.

She noted that this is not only a legal issue, but also a serious health and social concern.

Despite the gravity of the case, the Maldives Police Service (MPS) has not yet released any further details or commented on the matter.