Police recover 78 drug pellets from body found in guesthouse

Police on Sunday recovered a large quantity of drugs from the intestines of a man found dead at a guesthouse in Hulhumalé.

The police issued a statement after reports circulated that the body had been operated on at the Hulhumalé cemetery and drug pellets had been removed.

According to police, the deceased was a 40-year-old Nepalese man who arrived in the Maldives on 26 November with two other foreigners. The three checked into a guesthouse in Hulhumalé on the morning of 28 November. The two men who accompanied him left the country later the same day.

Police said the body showed no external injuries. However, a CT scan indicated the presence of drugs in his intestines.

Police requested legal advice from the Prosecutor General’s Office on how to proceed. On 2 December, the drugs were removed through a surgical procedure carried out by doctors under specialist guidance. Police did not disclose the location of the operation, stating only that it was not conducted in a medical facility because the condition of the body did not allow for it.

Police confirmed that 78 drug pellets, weighing a total of 818 grams, were recovered.

The police said the investigation is ongoing and further details cannot be released at this stage. Efforts are under way to identify additional suspects and trace those who may be involved.

The public has been urged not to circulate unverified information while the investigation continues.