Maldives Police Service on Tuesday arrested 10 people and seized 71kg of illegal narcotics in one of the biggest drug busts in capital Male' City.
The drugs were smuggled in two suitcases and two sacks, transported in a private car which the police stopped on the road 'Fareedhee Magu', to search and conduct forensics.
Commissioner of Police Mohamed Hameed revealed that the Drug Enforcement Department, Drug Intelligence and Marine Police had been carrying out this particular operation on both land and sea for more than a week, in order to seize the contraband and arrest the perpetrators.
He noted that in addition to the 10 arrests and car, the police also searched multiple residences.
Under Maldivian law, drug trafficking is a serious criminal offence punishable by life imprisonment and carries a hefty fine in the range of MVR 100,000 (USD 6,485) to MVR 1 million (USD 64,850).