Prosecutors have raised smuggling charges against a Bolivian, arrested in October 2016 after authorities found 2.1kgs of cocaine on in her bag.
Clelia Ortiz Claudia’s behavior at the airport clearance reportedly aroused suspicion in officers, compelling them to inspect her, only to find sealed packs of powder weighing at of 2.153 kilograms, that tested positive as cocaine. She landed in the Maldives on the 17th of October from Brazil.
The Maldives Customs Service stated though, that Maldives was not Claudia’s final destination, and that the drugs were bound for elsewhere, with the Maldives being a ‘transit point’. Authorities suspect that she is a member of a sizeable network of smugglers.
If the charges hold, Claudia could be facing a long prison sentence and hefty fines. Trafficking Schedule 2 drugs is an offence that carries no less than five years of imprisonment, and a fine of between MVR 50 – 100 thousand (about USD 3,000 to 6,000).
