The Maldives Police Service has arrested 13 individuals in an operation carried out by their ‘drug enforcement department’ on Monday. 

Officers arrested ten of these men in a house in capital city Malé, along with 31 packets of a substance believed to be illicit drugs. They are between the ages of 18 to 46. 

A 36-year-old foreigner and two Maldivian women of ages 33 and 28 have also been arrested. 

Since hierarchal changes late last year, following a national election and new government, the local police have said its improved efforts to tackle trafficking and peddling.