Four men have been arrested in Malé City on suspicion of exploiting children, the Maldives Police Service has confirmed.

According to police, the arrests were made during a raid conducted on Monday morning at an apartment in the Henveiru district of Malé. Four minors,  two 17-year-old girls, a 16-year-old boy, and a 17-year-old boy, were reportedly harmed in the incident.

The suspects have been identified as Ibrahim Shinan Ahmed, 33; Nafiu Rasheed, 39; Luhan Saeed, 41; and Ali Ashraf, 35, Malé.

During the raid, police recovered a packet containing suspected narcotics from the apartment. All four suspects later tested positive for drugs.

The men were presented before the Criminal Court on Tuesday, where they were remanded in custody for three days pending further investigation.

Police have stated that the case remains under active investigation.