10-year-olds involved in drug business

Maldives Police Service has stated that 10-year-old children are also involved in cases related to drug use and sale.

At a press conference held at Iskandar Koshi today, Sub-Inspector of Police Miyaz Mohamed working at the Juvenile Monitoring Unit said that children between the ages of 10 and 18 are partaking in such activities.  

In this regard, he detailed that the most number of juvenile arrests made is that of 17-year-olds – adding that a total of 525 arrests have been made.

Starting from 2017 until 2019, 97 percent of the juveniles arrested are males.

As per statistics by the Police, cases of juveniles being involved in drug-related matters have mostly been reported from Addu City, Fuvahmulah City and Hadhunmathi Atoll, if considering outside of Male’ area.

From Male’ area, the highest number of juvenile involved drug-related cases were reported from Henveiru district. In this regard, 40 percent of juveniles questioned in drug-related cases were from Henveiru district.

Miyaz also stressed that juveniles being repeatedly arrested over drug cases is common. He added that although efforts have been made to rehabilitate such children, the children are uncooperative in such efforts.

“We have made efforts in collaboration with relevant authorities to rehabilitate, but these children do not cooperate with us,” he had said.

In addition to this, Miyaz also noted that drug kingpins are staying on the sidelines and assigning children to the frontlines to carry out their business. He disclosed information of a similar case investigated by the Police last year.

“Suspect stayed on the sidelines, and made children rent places to store, divide, packet and sell drugs in financial transactions,” he detailed.

Miyaz said that Police had searched two places in connection to the case, and also arrested children between the ages of 13 and 15. He also detailed that one of the places had an area allotted to accommodate children and recruit them.

In the press conference held by the Police today to disclose information on counter-narcotics efforts, other similar information was shared with the media.