A 62-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of smuggling drugs into the Maldives by swallowing them.

Police said 427g of suspected drugs were recovered from his stool.

Ahmed Naseer, Hazaarumaage, Vaavu Fulidhoo, was arrested on suspicion of swallowing drugs and attempting to smuggle them when he arrived in Maldives.

Police had detained Naseer on suspicion and 19 capsules containing suspected drugs, weighing a total of 427g, were recovered from his stool.

Naseer was produced before the Criminal Court, which ordered him to remain in custody pending trial after finding sufficient grounds to remand him in connection with the alleged smuggling of a large quantity of drugs.

He faces charges of smuggling drugs into the Maldives and drug trafficking.

Under the current Drugs Act, drug trafficking can carry the death penalty if a person is convicted.