No details on those arrested in drug operation

The Police and Minister of Homeland Security and Technology have not divulged any details regarding the 92 individuals who were detained in the large-scale operation that began on 13th November targeting drug trafficking networks across Maldives.

The 92 individuals who were detained during "Operation Alimagu", which targeted raids across 100 places, are people who were involved in various stages of the drug market, said Home Minister Ihusan.

When Mihaaru News questioned the minister regarding this, he had said at the time that there are individuals in various classes within the drug trade among those who were detained. Low, middle and upper class of involvement has been recorded in the crimes.

At the time, the minister did not reveal the identities of those who were detained during the operation nor did he reveal the period of detention described in the court sentences.

Minister Ihusan said then that since the individuals were detained and jail sentences given from different islands, with the information to be shared once everything has been accumulated. Even so, the Home Ministry has not revealed the information as of yet.

Even though the identities of those who were arrested in the large-scale drug operation by the police were revealed prior, the police have still not given any details regarding "Operation Alimagu".

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu announced the operation on X, stating that over 500 police officers are taking part in simultaneously searching over 100 locations. He also said that this is the largest operation to take place against the drug trade in recent years.

Minister Ihusan has said in the past that the operation would be conducted from Haa Alifu Atoll all the way to Addu.

He went on to say that the drug trade will not move forward in Maldives and that if it does, they will experience "great difficulty in living in Maldives".

While giving an interview to state media PSM, Ihusan said that those involved in the drug trade will have to bring their operations to a halt from that day forward, with the opportunity not being present in Maldives from then on. He also said that they will take the strongest steps within the law in order to accomplish that.

"And so we request those involved in the drug trade to stop what they are doing and move on to better things from today onward. We will make it difficult for them to live in Maldives if they continue to be in this line of trade," said the minister.

As per Ihusan, the operation conducted by the police on 13th November is the first step of many in bringing the drug trade to a halt. He also said that the operation will be stopped once those in the drug trade stop as well.