Five Individuals Detained After Sri Lankan Vessel Intercepted In Maldivian Waters

Five individuals aboard a Sri Lankan vessel intercepted in Maldivian waters on Friday have been handed over to police.

The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) confirmed that the fishing vessel, seized by the Coast Guard, along with a large quantity of drugs and the five people onboard, has been transferred to police custody.

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Authorities have not yet disclosed the exact quantity of drugs recovered or the identities of those detained. Sri Lankan media, however, reported that the vessel was carrying approximately 300 kilograms of heroin and crystal meth.

The boat, reportedly manned by six Sri Lankan fishermen, was apprehended following intelligence shared by the Sri Lankan Navy.

The MNDF stated that the vessel was detected during a surveillance operation by the Air Corps using a military drone after radar identified a foreign vessel operating illegally in Maldivian waters. The Coast Guard Special Boat Squadron subsequently intercepted the ship and took it into custody.

Sri Lankan authorities are expected to send a team to the Maldives to assist with the ongoing investigation.