Commissioner of Police Mohamed Hameed has revealed an Incident Response Team from Interpol is working with Maldivian Drug Enforcement Department in the investigation of recently interdicted foreign vessel that was caught supplying narcotic drugs to a local vessel.
Maldives Police Service (MPS) revealed a total of 70 kilograms of drugs, worth nearly USD 4 million, were found on the foreign boat captured in a joint operation with Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). The Iranian flagged boat was intercepted 172 nautical miles from the northern tip of Maldives.
MNDF said it received information from Indian Coast Guard regarding the vessel bearing an Iranian flag on October 1. The operation was conducted by Maldivian Coast Guard, and Drug Enforcement Department and Drug Intelligence Department of Maldives Police Service, with the support from Indian Coast Guard and Sri Lankan Coast Guard.
The boat was seized in Maldivian waters on October 5. It was not immediately clear where the boat was heading.
MNDF and MPS also detained a Maldivian fishing vessel from the area with 2 Maldivians and 2 Bangladeshis on board. MPS said it has received an intelligence report that the fishing vessel was travelling to pick the drug packages from the foreign vessel.
Furthermore, another 3 Maldivians related to the drug network were arrested. They, along with the 2 Maldivians on the fishing vessel were remanded for 15 days, while the 2 Bangladeshis were remanded for 10 days. The 6 undocumented foreigners on the boat were remanded for 15 days.