The ‘ecstasy’ pills that were found inside the package that was delivered from Netherlands to an individual in Addu City. PHOTO / MALDIVES CUSTOMS
Maldives Police Service has said that “party drugs” are not that common in the Maldives.
Maldives Customs on Sunday revealed that it had seized a massive haul of pills that tested positive for substances found in ‘ecstasy’ from a package that was shipped from Netherlands to an address in the southernmost Addu City.
The Customs revealed that over 500 pills were confiscated from the individual that the package was addressed to, and that case has now been handed over to the police.
However, the police on Monday said that it does not receive many cases related to “party drugs” and confirmed that such drugs are not circulating in schools.
Further, it urged the public not to spread information that may create panic and to remain vigilant. The police assured that drug-related cases are prioritised and fully investigated.
Whilst the police claimed that not may “party drug” related cases are reported, there has been an increase in the use of such drugs as of late.
Last month, two individuals passed away after experiencing chest pains at a party in the capital’s reclaimed suburb Hulhumale, where illicit narcotics were involved. The police had later arrested four of the deceased’s friends, who were at the party, under the Narcotic Drugs Act, and confirmed that various substances were found at the scene where the incident occurred.
After the incident, a police forensic expert had warned that these drugs are deemed especially dangerous because the substances available in the Maldives are mostly “a mixture of different substances”, and “the chemical fusions could result in strokes, cause the heart rate to increase dramatically, and other such symptoms,” a police forensic expert had said after the incident.