President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has formed a special taskforce to address and tackle the nationwide issues related to drugs. The decision to form a drug taskforce was announced by the government during the ceremony held in Dhoonidhoo, Kaafu Atoll to destroy more than 300kgs of drugs seized during police operations within this month.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Home Affairs Imran Abdulla noted there are large drug trafficking networks in the Maldives, led by some influential people in the country. The home minister said this problem has existed in the country for half a century, but not enough action has been taken over the years to effectively tackle the problem. He said the formation of the taskforce allows the president to directly oversee and instruct the relevant authorities and institutions working to tackle the issue.
Across multiple operations over the last few months, Maldives Police Service (MPS) has seized a large amount of drugs that were being trafficked via air and sea. The lack of action taken against those involved in the drug trafficking network has been a longstanding issue of public concern. However, the home ministry and MPS have affirmed that 2022 will be a significant year in the national fight against drug trafficking.