The Maldives Police Service has confirmed that a Sri Lankan fishing vessel intercepted in Maldivian waters was carrying a significant quantity of narcotics, following an operation initiated through MNDF drone surveillance. However, authorities have not yet disclosed the exact amount of drugs recovered.
The interception was carried out by the MNDF Coast Guard’s Special Boat Squadron after the Air Corps’ unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) detected a suspicious vessel operating illegally within Maldivian maritime territory. Six Sri Lankan nationals were arrested during the operation, and the vessel is under Maldives Police for inspection and evidence processing.
The police said a detailed investigation is now underway in coordination with the Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lankan Police, who had provided advance intelligence on the vessel’s movements. A Sri Lankan investigative team is expected to arrive in Malé to assist with the probe.
Regional media reports, including Ada Derana, have linked the vessel to “Dehibale Malli,” a well-known Sri Lankan narcotics trafficker suspected of orchestrating several large-scale drug shipments across the Indian Ocean.
Authorities in both countries are now focusing on tracing the supply network and identifying financiers behind the operation, which analysts say demonstrates how international drug syndicates exploit fishing routes and the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean to traffic narcotics.
This latest interception underscores the Maldives’ expanding maritime surveillance capacity and highlights the growing importance of cross-border intelligence sharing in tackling transnational organized crime.
