Police Call for Immediate Legal Changes to Combat Emerging Drug Trafficking

Chief Superintendent Ahmed Shakir, the Head of Drug Enforcement, has highlighted the pressing necessity for a legal revision to counter the trafficking of emerging drugs. 

Speaking at a press briefing yesterday, Shakir underscored that the current Drug Act, established in 2011, lacks provisions to address the trafficking of new types of drugs that have surfaced in recent years.

According to Shakir, the existing law, which prohibits a total of 139 types of drugs, does not empower authorities to take action against the trafficking of drugs not explicitly declared in the Act. He emphasized that eight new types of drugs have been trafficked into the Maldives since the enactment of the Drug Act in 2011.

Despite the trafficking of these eight new types of drugs, Shakir pointed out the limitations of the legal framework. Notably, the eight drugs in question are classified as such by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

This revelation comes amid heightened efforts by the police, with 907 individuals searched in drug operations this year. The authorities have arrested 34 Maldivians in connection to drug-related offenses, while 33 foreign nationals apprehended in drug cases have been handed over to Maldives Immigration for deportation. 

The call for a legal revision seeks to address the evolving landscape of drug trafficking and ensure that law enforcement can effectively combat the influx of new and dangerous substances into the country.