Five Sri Lankan nationals have been remanded in custody in the Maldives after being arrested with more than 350 kilograms of narcotics aboard a fishing vessel that had illegally entered the Maldivian exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
The arrest followed a joint operation involving the Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Police, the Maldivian National Defence Force (MNDF), and the Maldives Police Service.
According to Maldivian authorities, the vessel was first detected by MNDF surveillance drones before being intercepted and seized.
The suspects, identified as fishermen aged 28, 34, 39, 42, and 63, remain in custody pending the conclusion of their trial.
