Building a society free from narcotics is a dream shared by the leader of every nation. However, few countries have successfully cleansed their entire community from the scourge of drug abuse. While the noble religion of Islam strictly prohibits intoxicants, the prevalence of this grave sin in Muslim countries is, regrettably, not uncommon. Our own Maldives is also among the nations afflicted by this epidemic.
Cleansing the Maldives from the drug menace is a matter of special priority for the leader of the Maldivian government, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu. To liberate the nation from this scourge, he initiated numerous comprehensive efforts immediately after assuming office.
As part of these efforts, operations against narcotics have been intensified, the treatment system and the powers granted to security forces have been strengthened, and relevant laws have been reformed. A significant outcome of these governmental measures is that the past two years have witnessed the highest quantity of narcotics seized in any two-year period. According to government disclosures, the street value of narcotics confiscated in the last two years totals 2.2 billion Rufiyaa.
Furthermore, when the government assumed office, over 700 individuals sentenced by the Drug Court had not yet commenced their treatment. The administration successfully eliminated the prolonged waiting periods for treatment, ensuring that all these individuals received and completed their rehabilitation within the past two years. Additionally, approximately 350 individuals of various age groups, who were suffering from drug addiction and living on the streets, are now receiving treatment through a remand center.
The next critical step involves eradicating the drug scourge entirely. The government firmly believes that in addition to providing treatment to those afflicted and reintegrating them into society, the most crucial action for cleansing the Maldives of drugs is to apprehend the ringleaders of these illicit networks and impose the harshest penalties prescribed by Islamic Sharia on them. This, the government asserts, is the pathway to completely uprooting this menace and achieving a comprehensive solution to the problem.
Consequently, anti-narcotics operations are specifically targeting the arrest of key individuals within the networks that import, trade, and distribute drugs in the Maldives. The overarching objective is to completely halt the influx of these substances into the country. The government has already launched a special initiative named “Operation Alimagoo” (Operation Bright Path) for this purpose.
While operations are focused on drug traffickers, the People’s Majlis has also passed amendments to the Drug Act, introduced at the directive of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on July 30th, to allow for the imposition of the death penalty – the harshest punishment in Islamic Sharia – on these individuals.
Under the new amendments, the death penalty can be applied if the quantity of cannabis exceeds 350 grams, diamorphine exceeds 250 grams, or any other type of narcotic exceeds 100 grams. Furthermore, the death penalty can also be imposed on individuals who smuggle narcotics into the Maldives.
The death penalty for drug traffickers will be imposed only upon a unanimous verdict from a bench of Supreme Court judges. The new amendments also stipulate that individuals sentenced to death or life imprisonment for drug trafficking into the Maldives cannot be pardoned, have their sentences commuted, or be released on parole.
The efforts currently underway against narcotics are aimed at liberating society from the drug scourge and achieving a comprehensive solution to this problem. The government states that these are sustainable efforts designed to dismantle drug trafficking networks operating in the Maldives, completely eradicate these illicit systems, and bring to justice those responsible for the spread of drugs in the community.
