A Bangladeshi citizen was apprehended at Velana International Airport on Monday, after trying to smuggle in MVR 1.6 million worth of illegal drugs into the country.

Maldives Customs Service (MCS) said that a 31-year-old Bangladeshi citizen's baggage was checked due to 'suspicious behavior' and had led to the discovery of drugs worth MVR 1.6 million.

Noting that drugs weighed 282 grams, Customs said that they were kept in 'packets' inside his luggage, including 2,084 'orange coloured pills.'

Customs revealed that its analysis showed that the orange pills were Amphetamine (YABA), a stimulant drug.

Earlier this week, Customs revealed that it had seized 32 kilograms of narcotics in 2018, through 83 operations; this includes '11 cases of drug trafficking attempts via air route, 68 attempts via post, three attempts via air cargo, and one via sea route.'

In a tweet posted on January 1, Acting Police Commissioner Mohamed Hameed said that 'seized narcotic drugs amount to 130 kilograms during the last three years,' adding that the police will be conducting special operations 'to prevent and deter drug trafficking' and protect the public.