President Dr Mohamed Muizzu used tonight’s massive Dhiveheen’ge Raajje rally at Artificial Beach to announce a decisive shift in national drug policy, declaring that his administration will amend the law to impose the maximum punishment prescribed in Islam on all individuals who import and traffic narcotics into the Maldives. The announcement came as the rally continued to draw an unprecedented crowd, marking one of the largest political gatherings ever witnessed in the country.
Addressing thousands of supporters still pouring into the venue, the President said eliminating the drug epidemic is impossible without dismantling the trafficking networks that supply narcotics across the Maldives. He described the nationwide anti narcotics operation conducted on Thursday as the biggest coordinated sweep in Maldivian history and confirmed that similar large scale actions will continue.
The President noted that public frustration grows when traffickers are released due to procedural issues, insisting that all state institutions must work together with sincerity and without external pressure. He said the government has already submitted amendments to the Narcotics Act, which, once passed, will establish the highest level of punishment allowed under Islamic law for drug importation and trafficking.
In his address, President Muizzu emphasised that the government’s approach is twofold. While the law targets traffickers with maximum severity, the state will invest in rehabilitating young Maldivians affected by addiction and reintegrating them into society. He said true youth empowerment can only be achieved when communities are free from the grip of narcotics.
The President also told the crowd that previous administrations failed to confront the crisis because they consistently chose the convenient path instead of the correct one. He said his decisions are guided by what benefits the country in the long term, not by short term popularity.
As the rally continued into the night, supporters remained packed across the Artificial Beach area, waving national flags and awaiting further key announcements in the President’s ongoing address.
