Nine, including a woman, arrested with drugs from uninhabited island in B. Atoll

Combined photos of (from L-R) Dinesh Samiyappan, 29; Kumaresan Chinnai, 20; Abdul Muhsin Hassan, 65; Maryam Rifau, 25; Alhan Rasheed Hussain, 49; Elevendan Sivagnana Sundaram, 39; Kanagaraj Ponnanya Supayya, 46; Mohamed Masood, 46; Sebatian Naharaja, 31. (Photo/Maldives Police Service)

Nine people, including a woman, have been arrested with drugs and alcohol from an uninhabited island in Baa Atoll in a counter-narcotics operation conducted by the police.

In a statement on Monday, the police said that the arrests were made in a raid on the island of Maarikilu on Saturday following information received by the Counter-Narcotics Intelligence regarding the use, possession and peddling of drugs in the island.

The operation was a collaboration between Counter-Narcotics Intelligence, Drug Enforcement, and Baa Atoll Police.

The suspects arrested in the case include three Maldivians and foreign nationals from three neighboring countries.

The suspects:

Dinesh Samiyappan, 29, India
Kumaresan Chinnai, 20, India
Abdul Muhsin Hassan, 65, Wafa, R. Inguraidhoo
Maryam Rifau, 25, Holland, Dhiguvaandu, Gn. Fuvahmulah
Alhan Rasheed Hussain, 49, M. Javaahiruvaadhee, K. Male’
Elevendan Sivagnana Sundaram, 39, Sri Lanka
Kanagaraj Ponnanya Supayya, 46, Sri Lanka
Mohamed Masood, 46, Bangladesh
Sebatian Naharaja, 31, Sri Lanka

According to police, all nine were arrested under court warrants.

The police said they seized 162 beer cans, five alcohol bottles and 12.8 grams of drugs.

They were presented before a court for their remand hearing on Sunday. According to police, the court granted Muhsin conditional release and remanded the rest to 15 days in custody of police.

The case is under further investigation by the police.