The Maldives Customs Service has reported that it seized 324 kilograms of narcotics attempted to be smuggled into the Maldives between January 2024 and this month.

According to statistics released by Customs yesterday, the number of drug-related cases increased by 27 percent over the past two years, while the total weight of the seized narcotics saw a 31 percent increase.

The published data indicates that from 2024 to June 2026, authorities intercepted 324 kilograms of drugs across 147 separate cases. In comparison, a total of 247 kilograms of drugs were seized across 116 cases between 2019 and 2023. These figures highlight a notable rise in the volume of seized contraband and detected cases during the last two and a half years compared to the preceding five-year period.

Within this month alone, Customs intercepted an attempt to smuggle narcotics valued at over MVR 6 million into the Maldives, which consisted of 8,490 grams of hashish oil. Additionally, authorities also seized illicit drugs worth more than MVR 1.8 million that individuals attempted to bring into the country last May.