President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced that the law will be amended to allow for the maximum punishment prescribed in Islam for drug traffickers.
He made the remarks at a mega rally organised by the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) on Friday night, the “Dhivehinge Raajje” rally.
The President said his top priority upon taking office was to address the major challenges facing the country, including its longstanding drug issue. He emphasised that the drug issue can only be resolved by closing the channels that lead to it and stopping traffickers.
Referring to the nationwide anti-drug operation conducted simultaneously in different parts of the country on Thursday, the President said the operation was the largest such operation to date. He reiterated the government’s commitment to expand these efforts in the future.
The President asserted that the government can eradicate the drug epidemic in the Maldives if all government agencies worked together without yielding to influence. In order to achieve this, the maximum punishment prescribed in Islam would be imposed on anyone caught smuggling drugs into the Maldives, he said.
"People do not want these individuals [drug dealers] released back into the society due to minor legal procedures. Everyone must act with sincere intention. The bill we have sent to Parliament to amend the Drugs Act will hopefully be passed, allowing the maximum Islamic punishment for drug traffickers," he said.
Emphasising the need for collaboration, the President stressed his desire to rehabilitate young people addicted to drugs and reintegrate them into society. The government will work to ensure every youth becomes a respectable member of society, he said, adding that the youth can only be truly empowered by solving the drug problem plaguing the country.
The President criticised previous governments for taking the “easy way” on the drug issue, which ultimately failed to solve the country’s drug problem. He said his approach focuses on the best solutions rather than the most popular ones.