Maldives Police Service (MPS) has seized narcotics in an operation conducted in Gaaf Alif atoll Kolamaafushi island on Wednesday.

The operation was carried out following an intelligence report that individuals had planned to smuggle drugs into the island via sea-route. As such, the police had on Wednesday searched a boat docked in the island’s harbor upon which they had confiscated a box stacked with pouches suspected to be filled with narcotic substances.

The police had taken the box into police custody and conducted an investigation following which they had discovered that two large packages of rubber suspected to contain drugs.

The MPS has revealed that no arrests have yet been made regarding the drug bust, going on to say that the police station in Kolamaafushi island is investigating the case.

While drug smuggling has been increasing within the past few weeks throughout the outlying atolls, Maldives Customs Service had in late-July revealed that drug imports into the country have increased by 42% this time of the year compared to the same time the previous year.