468 kilograms of drugs have been seized from a Sri Lankan vessel that had illegally entered Maldivian waters.

In a press conference held by the police today, Police Commissioner Ali Shujau said the fishing vessel was intercepted off the coast of HDh. Makunudhoo. The Sri Lankan fishing vessel was detained by the MNDF Coast Guard at around 12:45 am last night.

Shujau said it was a vessel named "Athenkutha" and had five men on board. He also said all of them were Sri Lankan nationals.

He stated that the vessel was intercepted based on intelligence information received by the MNDF, and the vessel was brought under Coast Guard custody last night and taken to Kulhudhuffushi this morning.

When the vessel was brought to Kulhudhuffushi harbor this morning and searched under the supervision of the Coast Guard and police, drugs were found. According to the preliminary test results of the drugs found on the vessel, it contained 344 kg of crystal meth and 124 kg of cocaine.

Shujau also said that the street value of these substances amounts to MVR 1 billion.

"At 9:30 this morning, when police from Kulhudhuffushi City Police, along with MNDF Coast Guard personnel, searched this vessel, a total of 468.6 kilograms of suspected drugs were found," Shujau said.

Shujau said it is not yet known if there is any connection between the Sri Lankan vessel and any drug networks in the Maldives. The investigation is being conducted jointly by the Police Drug Enforcement Unit and Kulhudhuffushi City Police Station.