6 arrested in drug operations in Male’

Maldives Police Service announced on Saturday it made six arrests, and seized large quantities of drugs and alcohol in drug operations in Male’ City over the last week.

The operations were run by the Drug Enforcement Department (DED) in collaboration with Police Intelligence on August 17, 18 and 20, during which they searched two residences in Male’ and the properties from where the suspects were arrested.

The operation on August 17 involved the search of a residence in Galolhu district of Male’. The DED seized 256 alcohol bottles from the residence, and arrested a 36-year-old Bangladeshi man.

The operation on August 18 involved the search of a 19-year-old Maldivian man and a 23-year-old Maldivian man at a restaurant in Male’. The DED found a large package believed to be containing drugs during the search. Both men were arrested.

The DED conducted two operations on August 20. The first operation involved the search of a residence in Galolhu district of Male’, and produced 45 cellophane packets believed to be containing drugs, and emptied out film canister, and a 500 ml bottle containing a liquid believed to be alcohol. Two suspects; a 20-year-old Maldivian man and a 23-year-old Maldivian man were arrested in connection to the case.

Meanwhile, the second operation involved the arrest and search of a 39-year-old Maldivian man in the jetty area in front of the waste disposal site, Kuni Koshi 2, on Boduthakurufaanu Magu. The suspect was found to be carrying six cellophane packets and eight rubber packets believed to be containing drugs.

The cases are under further investigation by the DED.