Over 350kg of drugs seized from Sri Lankan vessel: Police

More than 350 kilograms of drugs have been seized from a Sri Lankan fishing vessel intercepted in Maldivian waters last week, Maldives Police Service confirmed.

While Sri Lankan media had earlier reported that the vessel captured with the help of a Maldivian military drone carried around 300 kilograms of narcotics, Maldivian authorities had not previously disclosed details of the incident.

In a statement issued last night, police said the vessel, “Avishka Putha,” had entered the Maldives’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) illegally.

Following a court-ordered search, police recovered 24 sacks weighing a total of 355.9 kilograms, including 58.6 kilograms of suspected heroin and 297.3 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine.

Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) had intercepted the vessel, which had five Sri Lankan men on board, aged 28, 34, 39, 42, and 63. All were taken into custody yesterday.

Police also said that a special investigative team from Sri Lanka has arrived in the Maldives to assist in the probe.

“The case is being investigated jointly by the Maldives Police Service, Maldives National Defence Force, Sri Lanka Navy, and Sri Lanka Police,” the statement read.