Minister Ihusan shared a photo of the seized vape cartridges containing cannabis and expressed concern about such narcotics being secretly distributed to school students through vapes.
A shipment of cannabis smuggled into the Maldives, labeled as vape oil, was seized by Maldives Customs last night.
Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusan, in a post on social media platform X said that cannabis had been imported into the country disguised as vape oil or flavor.
The government has announced that the import of vape products will be banned in the Maldives from November.
Minister Ihusan shared a photo of the seized vape cartridges, stating that they contained cannabis. He expressed concern about such narcotics being secretly distributed to school students through vapes.
Dhaadhi dhemmeaku “Vape Oil” ge namugai raajjeah ethere kurevunu masthuvaathaketheege baavathehkamahvaa Cannabis alhaafaivaa shipmenteh @CustomsMv in hifahattaifi. Mi ee Raees @MMuizzu miadhu nengevi decision nangavan jehunu emme bodu eh sababu. pic.twitter.com/gThUJ6rhYt
— Minister of Homeland Security & Technology (@min_mohst) October 14, 2024
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has ordered the authorities to take necessary measures to ban the , import of all vape products and individual parts of vape devices is to be made illegal from November 15, 2024 onwards. Additionally, the use, possession, production, sale, advertisement and distribution of all vape products will be banned from December, 15, 2024.
Speaking with Mihaaru News last July, Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusan said that their focus on banning vapes was because drugs are sometimes added into the flavours of the pods. This creates opportunities to recruit children into the drug business as well, he said, adding that their drug operations also revealed drugs in vape sticks.
The government also said that the use of vapes in the country has become a national issue, especially due to its prevalence in school environments.
According to figures shared with Mihaaru News by Maldives Customs Service, MVR 124,342,915 worth of vapes and e-cigarettes have been imported to the Maldives between 2018 and July of this year. The figure was at MVR 19.7 million between January and July this year alone.
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