Maldives Customs has seized 1.2 kilograms of cannabis in an attempt to smuggle the drugs into the country by air.  
The seizure took place on Friday, and the street value of the drugs is estimated at MVR 936,000, Customs said.  
Police have not yet confirmed whether any arrests have been made in connection with the case.  
The seizure comes days after the Supreme Court unanimously passed a legal amendment introducing the death penalty for drug traffickers. The change was ratified by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on Saturday.  
The bill, introduced by Gan MP Yoosuf Nasheed on 1 December 2024, categorizes drugs and related items into three schedules:  
Schedule One: Prohibited drugs and their derivatives  
Schedule Two: Medicinal drugs and their derivatives  
Schedule Three: Devices, chemicals, and materials used to manufacture drugs  
Previously, the maximum penalty for drug trafficking under the Narcotics Act was life imprisonment or a fine between MVR 100,000 and MVR 10 million.  
The amendment aims to:  
Strengthen law enforcement powers  
Curb drug trafficking, possession, and use  
Enhance rehabilitation systems for addicts  
Homeland Security Minister Ali Ihusaan said on Thursday that there would be “no mercy or exception” for drug traffickers.  
However, several political figures have raised concerns about implementing the death penalty in Maldives, including former President Abdulla Yameen and former Home Minister Umar Naseer.