Maldives customs seize 7 kilos of cannabis

Maldives customs seized nearly seven kilos of cannabis from two Bangladeshis who flew to the country late last month.

In the first interception, customs officers at the Velana International Airport found 2.05kg of cannabis in the luggage of a 34-year-old Bangladeshi who arrived on June 25. The second seizure was from the luggage of a 19-year-old who arrived four days later.

“Total weight of drugs seized in these cases was 6.87kg, which was also tested positive for cannabis,” customs said Tuesday. “Seized drugs and individuals involved have been handed over to the Maldives Police Service for further investigations.”

Drug Seizures – Dried cannabis leaves pic.twitter.com/VVZHob3SWc

— Maldives Customs (@CustomsMv) July 3, 2018

Drug Seizures – Dried cannabis leaves inside 02 stitched blankets pic.twitter.com/v6ByDuHPTX

— Maldives Customs (@CustomsMv) July 3, 2018

Four Maldivians were recently arrested in India in connection with a 17kg hashish oil bust.

Heroin and hashish oil are the most commonly used drugs in the Maldives, but LSD, ecstasy and other synthetic drugs have been found in recent years.

Customs seized 1.74kg of drugs concealed in postal parcels during March and April this year.

Last month, more than 100kg of drugs washed ashore in the north after an Iranian vessel ran aground.

In March 2014, around 24kg of heroin was smuggled in a vessel that was registered in Iran. Two Maldivian men were found guilty and sentenced to life in April last year. They were the only ones to stand trial of the 18 suspects taken into custody, including 11 Pakistanis, four Maldivians and three Bangladeshis.

The country’s biggest drug haul came in 2006, when 1.6 tonnes of cannabis was found submerged in the lagoon of an island in Alif Alif atoll.

No arrests were made and police destroyed the stash two years later.