Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusan has issued a stern warning, stating that there will no longer be any room to conduct drug businesses that plunge citizens into hardship.

Speaking at the "Ahaa" public forum last night, Minister Ihusan stated that drug trafficking networks are being dismantled, and assets and funds acquired through illicit means by these parties are being confiscated by the state.

Ihusan stated that there will no longer be any business in the Maldives run by selling drugs and harming Maldivian citizens, noting that 1.3 tons of drugs have been seized from Maldivian streets over the past three and a half years. This amounts to approximately MVR 1.5 billion in street value.

The Minister pointed out that this is a record figure compared to the first three years of previous governments. As part of joint efforts by the Maldives Police Service and Customs to reduce supply, the current focus is not merely on arresting individuals possessing drugs, but on completely dismantling entire networks.

The Minister stated that investigations are currently underway into 24 drug networks across the entire Maldives. Of these, investigations into three cases have been concluded and are now in the court stage. In connection with these cases, MVR 3.6 million and 145,000 US dollars in cash, along with various other assets, have been confiscated by the state, Ihusan said.

Ihusan noted that the government has adopted a two-pronged approach to resolve the drug issue: reducing demand by providing rehabilitation and treatment to victims of drug abuse, and halting supply networks. He stated that under current laws, targeted actions against these networks are yielding results, enabling perpetrators to be imprisoned and their assets seized by the state.