Maldives Police Service (MPS) has revealed that around 500 people become addicted to drugs every year. The remark was made by Commissioner of Police Mohamed Hameed at the ceremony held to mark the 90th anniversary of MPS.
At the press conference, Commissioner Hameed expressed concern over the rising number of young people becoming addicted to various types of drugs and said that all relevant state institutions need to work together to address this issue. He added that MPS has stepped up its efforts to confiscate drugs under its strategic action plan.
Additionally, Commissioner Hameed said that MPS investigated 13,000 criminal cases last year and that MPS should aim to make every effort to reduce crime. He said that officers need to heavily rely on forensics and the latest resources to solve major crimes. He also noted the rise in cybercrime and said that the police service is being developed to address the issue. He added that the establishment of MPS as a civil service separate from the military in 2004 was a major step towards the development of the police service.