COLOMBO, March 31 (Xinhua) -- The number of drug raids by Maldivian police increased to 12,000 in 2024 compared to 9,300 in 2023, PSM News, the Maldives's state media, reported on Monday, quoting Chief Inspector of Police Ahmed Naif.
Naif said that 654 kg of drugs was seized last year, compared to 123 kg in 2023.
Naif added that the Maldives Police Service has recorded 95 percent successful convictions of drug cases in 2024, an increase of 20 percentage points compared to 2023.
Certain revisions to police procedure and operations have directly contributed to the increase in criminal convictions in drug-related cases, according to police.
According to Criminal Court statistics, in 2024 the court ruled on 137 drug-related cases, with 20 of the convicts being sentenced to life imprisonment, the report said. ■
