Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusaan, has outlined the Government’s strategy to apprehend drug traffickers and address the nation’s long-standing drug crisis within the current presidential term.

Speaking during the Ahaa forum on Monday night, Minister Ihusaan stated that this Administration had started addressing the issue from its first day in office.

He explained that one of the first steps taken was to bring all relevant agencies under a single ministry, as overlapping responsibilities had previously led to inefficiencies.

The Minister said the policy approach had shifted from simply seizing drugs to targeting traffickers themselves. He emphasised that the focus was now on arresting those responsible for trafficking rather than the drugs alone, adding that traffickers would no longer be able to hide behind trafficking networks operating under the guise of legitimate businesses.

As an example, he cited a recent operation in Fuvahmulah, where two major traffickers had been arrested. He said investigations into their operations were still ongoing.

Minister Ihusaan affirmed that the authorities would continue tracking traffickers, stopping their activities, and dismantling their networks. He expressed confidence in achieving a lasting solution within the term.

The Minister further reported that over the past 18 months, the authorities had seized 700 kg of illegal drugs, estimated to be worth MVR 1.4 billion on the street, and had confiscated more than 9,000 bottles of alcohol being smuggled to various islands.

He also noted that efforts to combat drug trafficking via postal and air routes had intensified, and the Government was working towards acquiring a container scanner to strengthen maritime inspections.