Male’, Maldives – Commissioner of Police, Mohamed Hameed has revealed that 80 kilograms of drugs was confiscated in the operation carried out yesterday in Addu.
Commissioner Hameed also stated that they were working with international agencies to find out the source of this supply and that their intentions are to disrupt the supply of it.
Approximately 80 kgs of narcotic drugs seized in Addu. The operation was carried out solely on locally developed intelligence and policing work. We will be engaging with our international partners as the investigation progresses. We are intent on disrupting the supply of drugs.
— Mohamed Hameed (@M_Hameedh) October 4, 2020
This operation was carried out at sea in a joint effort by Drug Intelligence Unit, Divisional Intelligence Department, and Marine Police working along with the Drug Enforcement Department and the South Police Division.
Several individuals have been arrested following the operation including the famous Maldivian footballer Shamweel Qasim (Bonda). He has been arrested for facilitating the traffickers while out at see. However a close person of Bonda revealed that he went out when the traffickers called him for assistance when their speed boat suddenly stopped out at open sea and that Bonda was not aware of the items on board their boat.
In addition to this foreign media has also reported of a major drug bust operation which has been carried out inside the Maldives Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) with several arrests and drugs worth USD 1 billion being confiscated. While Maldivian police haven’t commented on this case, Pakistani media reports that it was a joint operation which includes several countries.
