President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has instructed relevant authorities to further study the bill amending the Narcotics Act to include severe punishments, including the death penalty. In a post shared on social media, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu stated that saving Maldivian society from the scourge of drugs and building a drug-free generation is one of the most important goals of this government.
Accordingly, the President said that he has now instructed the relevant government agencies to further study the bill to amend the Narcotics Act, which is currently submitted to the Parliament, to include severe punishments, including the death penalty, for those convicted of importing or trafficking drugs, as is done in some other countries of the world.
Referring to the measures taken by the current government to solve the drug problem, the President previously said that the government has taken robust steps to address this issue so far. He said that the work of law enforcement agencies has been strengthened, and a national framework has been established to work towards a single goal of providing treatment to those affected by drug addiction and the system in place to reintegrate them into society.
The government-proposed amendment to the Narcotics Act includes introducing a system to control new narcotic substances that need to be controlled in addition to those currently controlled under the law, defining additional drug-related offenses and punishments, further strengthening the treatment system for drug addicts, and reviewing the principles of operating the Drug Court and the rules related to the Drug Court’s treatment program.
Efforts are ongoing to solve the drug problem in the Maldives by preventing the import and circulation of drugs and strengthening the reintegration of addicts into society. In this regard, the government says it prioritizes apprehending the leaders of drug trafficking networks to solve the issue of drug import and circulation. Additionally, the government believes that the ongoing work in the Parliament to amend the Narcotics Act will also address the challenges currently faced by law enforcement agencies.
Furthermore, work has begun to strengthen the system of inspecting packages entering through airports and postal services to address the drug problem. The government has also revealed that efforts are underway to bring a container scanner to intercept drugs entering through sea routes.
