Police said today that 142 pellets were recovered from the bodies of two Nepali nationals arrested for smuggling narcotics into the Maldives by body-packing, and that the drugs weighed more than 1.5 kilograms.
Customs detained the suspects and handed them over to police. Those arrested last Friday are 47-year-old Nika Tamang and 40-year-old Eitrani Gale, both Nepali nationals.
When the two were produced before the Criminal Court yesterday, court orders stated that 53 pellets totaling 650 grams had been found in their bodies. After further examination, police confirmed the total number of pellets removed from their bodies had risen to 142.
Because evidence of the alleged offence had been submitted and because of the risk to public safety, the court extended their detention by 30 days.
As cases of foreigners smuggling narcotics into the Maldives have been rising, the law has been amended so that people who import narcotics above a set amount can face the death penalty, as part of efforts to deter such crimes and strengthen enforcement.
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