Police have no clue how the drugs were smuggled in to Maldives

MALE, April 23 (HNS) – International help is being sought for the investigation on the discovery of 1.6 tons hashish in Maafaru Lagoon near Alifu Alifu Gangehi resort by lobster catchers, Maldives Police Service has said Sunday.

Speaking at a press conference held Sunday Inspector Abdullah Shareef, who is in charge of this case, said that police, defence force personnel and all other relevant government authorities were working closely in the investigation of this case.

“This is a very serious matter. We are requesting for foreign help. The Drug Enforcement Administration of United States has agreed to help. They said that we will receive their full cooperation. We are trying to get help from other places as well,” Shareef said.

Shareef said that the sacks found by lobster catchers from Kaafu atoll Dhiffushi island while diving for lobsters contained 1,697 packets of hashish and that each packets weighed at approximately one kilogram.

“We still do not know how the drugs were smuggled into Maldives. The crew of the dhoni said that they found the sacks on April 15. They said that they dived into the lagoon on April 14 and they assure us that there was not any sacks their on that day,” Shareef said.

Shareef said that the crew of the dhoni did not report that matter to police upon discovery of the sacks but that they informed the Coast Guard on April 21 who then informed police Saturday morning.

“They did not report the matter because they might have got attacked on sea,” Shareef said.

He said that the crew of the dhoni were under police custody because of the gravity of the case.

“No one else has been arrested in connection with the case yet,” Shareef said.