Customs Seizes Drugs Worth Over MVR 5 Million Smuggled Through Post

MV+ News Desk | July 9, 2026
Photo: Maldives Post

Maldives Customs has seized more than 3.6 kilograms of synthetic cathinone, a narcotic substance, which was smuggled into the Maldives through postal services, with an estimated street value exceeding MVR 5 million.

According to Customs, the seizure was made on 18 June 2026 after authorities intercepted a package containing 3,610 grams of synthetic cathinone. The drug is considered to be a Schedule I drug, which is a classification for substances with a high potential to lead to severe substance abuse, according to the American Addiction Centre. 

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The latest seizure comes as Customs records show a continued increase in the volume of narcotics intercepted in recent years. Newly released statistics indicate that the authority seized 571 kilograms of narcotics in 263 smuggling cases between 2021 and June 2026.

According to the data, Customs confiscated 247 kilograms of narcotics in 116 cases between 2021 and the end of 2023. From the beginning of 2024 to June 2026, a further 324 kilograms of narcotics were seized across 147 cases.

Customs said the number of drug seizure cases recorded between 2024 and mid-2026 increased by 27 per cent compared with the 2021–2023 period, while the total weight of narcotics seized rose by 31 per cent during the same comparison period.

The statistics were presented by Customs across two separate periods — 2021 to 2023 and 2024 to 2026. While the authority did not provide a specific explanation for dividing the data in this manner, the figures provide a comparison between current and previous administration.

The data further shows that the amount of narcotics intercepted during the two-and-a-half-year period from 2024 to June 2026 exceeded the total quantity seized during the five-year period from 2019 to 2023, highlighting the continued scale of drug smuggling attempts and enforcement operations.

Customs has previously identified postal services, passenger luggage and cargo shipments as channels used by individuals attempting to bring narcotics into the Maldives, and continues to conduct inspections in coordination with relevant authorities to prevent illegal substances from entering the country.

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