President Mohamed Muizzu has instructed relevant authorities to further review and strengthen amendments to the Narcotics Act, calling for the death penalty for those convicted of drug smuggling.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday night, Muizzu said the government’s most important goal is to protect society from drugs and build a drug-free generation.
He urged government agencies to toughen the proposed amendments, which are currently before Parliament, so that heavier penalties, including capital punishment, can be imposed on those convicted of importing or trafficking drugs.
Under the existing Narcotics Act, drug smuggling is punishable by a fine of between MVR 100,000 and MVR 10 million and life imprisonment.
The proposed amendments would introduce the death penalty if the amount of drugs trafficked exceeds specific quantities.
The Maldives currently allows the death penalty only for homicide, but no execution has been carried out since 1953, with death sentences typically commuted to life imprisonment.