Nearly 2kg of drugs seized from postal parcels

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

The drugs were seized in a total of 24 cases. The haul included “ecstasy, methamphetamine, amphetamine, cannabis tree branches, heroin, methcathinone, and mephedrone,” the customs service revealed Tuesday.

The countries of origin or departure were Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Greece and the United Kingdom.

In October last year, 500 ecstasy tablets were confiscated from a parcel sent to Addu City from the Netherlands. Customs said it was one of the largest ‘party drug’ haul of its kind to date in the Maldives.

The package first went to the capital’s post office before it went to Gan in the southernmost atoll.

“We have never confiscated such a high amount. We have found 30-50 pills including ecstasy and sometimes LSD. Party drugs are found more often when it is trending,” a customs spokesman said.

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.