President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced that he has instructed relevant authorities to revisit the current draft amendments to the Drugs Act, with the aim of incorporating capital punishment for drug trafficking offences.

In a statement posted to his official X account on Wednesday, President Dr Muizzu said he intends to introduce stricter penalties against drug traffickers, including capital punishment, citing similar policies adopted in other countries. He reiterated that one of the Government’s key priorities is to build a drug-free generation and curb the widespread social harm caused by narcotics.

The announcement follows earlier remarks by the President, in which he described drug abuse as the most pressing crisis currently facing the nation.

While the Government had previously revealed that the death penalty was included in an initial draft of the Drugs Act amendments, the provision was ultimately excluded when the bill was submitted to Parliament late last year.

Under the current Drugs Act, the penalty for drug trafficking is life imprisonment, along with a fine ranging from MVR 100,000 to MVR 10 million.

In parallel with proposed legislative changes, the Government is also ramping up efforts to strengthen rehabilitation programmes for drug users and at-risk youth. A juvenile rehabilitation pilot programme is scheduled to begin next month at a police training facility, ahead of the full rollout of the ‘Hope Island’ project. The initiative is aimed at reforming children involved in criminal activity and supporting their reintegration into society.