4 min learnNew DelhiApr 24, 2026 05:01 PM IST
With stringent new anti-drug legal guidelines being applied in the Maldives, extreme penalties now apply even for travellers to the island-nation. The revised regulation mandates life imprisonment or demise penalties for smuggling medicine, with strict penalties for even small-scale possession.
Considering a lot of Indian travellers go to the Maldives, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Thursday issued a warning to these travelling to the nation forward of the summer season vacation season, urging “extreme vigilance”.
What does the laws entail, and what are related legal guidelines in different nations that file a excessive variety of Indian travellers? Here’s what to know.
What does the amended regulation say?
Under the amended Maldives’ Drugs Act, which took impact final month, narcotic-related crimes might now lead to demise penalty for anybody present in possession or importation of greater than 350 gm of hashish, greater than 250 gm of diamorphine, or greater than 100 gm of any of the 139 substances categorised beneath Schedule 1.
The NCB cautioned that beneath the brand new authorized framework, “ignorance of the law is not a defence” and any violation may end up in extreme penalties. The company additionally requested travellers to stay vigilant at airports, seaports, and transit factors, and to keep away from participating with unknown people requesting help with carrying items.
“The amended law provides stricter punishment even for possession of small quantities of prohibited substances,” the NCB mentioned in a press release, including that current cases have been reported involving international nationals, together with Indian residents, being arrested within the Maldives for drug-related offences.
Indian travellers beneath a cloud
Several international nationals, together with Indians, have been arrested since then for allegedly smuggling medicine into the Maldives. According to media studies, three Indians had been reportedly arrested on the Velana International Airport (close to the capital Male) in April, whereas one other Indian nationwide was arrested for allegedly carrying 12 packets of hashish final month.
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India constantly ranked as the highest vacationer marketplace for the Maldives, with over 2.4 lakh arrivals in 2022 and over 2.1 lakh in 2021. Even because the numbers dipped after that owing to diplomatic points, this 12 months is once more anticipated to be a bumper 12 months contemplating air journey to the Western nations and to West Asia is affected owing to the US-Iran struggle.
Reports additionally point out a number of Indian nationals being apprehended on the Velana airport for carrying banned substances, together with hashish and cannabis oil.
Other vacationer locations with strict anti-drug legal guidelines
Among different South Asian nations which can be widespread with Indian vacationers are Indonesia and Malaysia, which have very strict anti-drug legal guidelines, even resulting in demise penalties. Last May, three Indian nationals had been sentenced to demise for trafficking over 100 kg of crystal meth on a cargo vessel. Malaysia has extraordinarily strict drug legal guidelines beneath the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, carrying extreme penalties together with potential demise sentences for trafficking, which apply strictly to international nationals. Possession of even small portions can result in lengthy imprisonment or demise.
Singapore additionally maintains necessary demise penalties for trafficking particular portions of medication, akin to 15 gm of heroin or 500 gm of hashish. In truth, the Misuse of Drugs Act in Singapore operates on a zero-tolerance method, with possession and consumption carrying heavy fines and lengthy jail sentences.
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In the current previous, vacationers have even been jailed within the Gulf nations — particularly the United Arab Emirates and Qatar — for carrying banned prescription medicines or packages for others that contained narcotics. The embassies and missions in these nations situation advisories on occasion advising Indian nationals to not even take medicines past the allowed restrict and with out legitimate prescriptions.
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