Thirty-eight expatriates have been arrested on suspicion of drug possession and gambling
Police have taken 38 Bangladeshi nationals into custody for drug and gambling offenses and transferred them to Immigration for deportation. Separately, an Indian couple has been arrested for attempting to smuggle drugs into the Maldives; the court has remanded them for 30 days citing public safety concerns after authorities discovered narcotics in their luggage, leading to formal drug trafficking allegations.
Shaheed Hussain Adam Building, the Maldives Police Service Headquarters. | RaajjeMV | RaajjeMV
Police have announced that a large number of expatriates have been taken into custody following allegations of drug possession, substance abuse, and gambling.
Police stated that the individuals were taken into custody during a joint operation conducted by Intelligence and Drug Enforcement on April 16, 2026. The operation was launched following intelligence reports regarding such illicit activities.
Police have confirmed that a total of 38 Bangladeshi men were taken into custody in connection with this matter. Authorities further stated that the individuals have now been handed over to Maldives Immigration for deportation proceedings under the Immigration Act.
Amidst a rise in the arrest and deportation of foreign nationals involved in such offenses, an Indian couple was apprehended and remanded on Thursday for attempting to smuggle narcotics into the Maldives.
Chris Ambrosia, 27, and Imran Pasha, 33, an Indian couple arrested in a drug-related case, are accused of smuggling, selling, and trafficking narcotics into the Maldives. Both individuals have been remanded in custody for a period of 30 days.
The court order stated that sufficient evidence has been presented to support the allegations against the two suspects. The defense did not dispute that substances suspected to be narcotics were discovered in the luggage involved in the case. Furthermore, it has been established that the luggage brought by Imran contained illicit drugs. To support the case against the individuals, the police submitted several pieces of evidence, including Maldives Customs Service forms, a statement from an officer who attended the scene, and a Scene of Crime Officers (SOCO) report.
The court determined that the two individuals must remain in custody, citing Article 49 of the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives, as well as Sections 59 and 60 of the Criminal Procedure Act (Law No. 12/2016). The ruling noted that detention is necessary due to the potential flight risk if they were released, and to ensure the safety and security of the community.
