President says gang crime has declined as drug measures progress
President Muizzu said his administration has introduced a range of measures aimed at reducing drug-related offences.
President Mohamed Muizzu has said gang-related crime has declined and expressed confidence that the government's measures to combat drug abuse and trafficking will deliver lasting results.
The President made the remarks during an appearance on Public Service Media's (PSM) Nation Chat programme on Wednesday night, where he elaborated on points raised during his Independence Day address.
He described drug abuse as an issue that has affected the Maldives for nearly three decades, noting that successive governments had attempted to address it but had not achieved the desired outcome.
President Muizzu said his administration has introduced a range of measures aimed at reducing drug-related offences and supporting the rehabilitation of people affected by drug abuse.
According to the President, the government is strengthening legislation and enforcement to combat drug trafficking while also expanding rehabilitation programmes to help people recover from addiction and reintegrate into society.
He said the government's approach is focused on preventing young people from becoming involved in drugs and crime rather than relying solely on punishment.
The President added that the initiatives are intended to help young people become productive members of society and said progress is already becoming visible.
"God willing, we will achieve good results in eliminating the drug scourge. This is something that can move forward with full cooperation from the public, state institutions, and especially the judiciary. We are already seeing a difference, and I am very pleased with this," he said.
"Efforts to reduce drug-related offences and associated crimes, including gang-related crimes, are also progressing. Looking at current statistics, God willing, we can see a clear difference. The occurrence of gang-related crimes has visibly decreased."
President Muizzu said further progress would depend on continued cooperation among the public, law enforcement agencies, the judiciary and other state institutions.
The Gang Crime and Serious Offences Prevention Act, introduced by the government and passed by Parliament, came into force in August last year.
The law criminalises the formation and operation of organised criminal groups, establishes penalties for offenders and accomplices, and grants additional powers to authorities to prevent organised crime. Under the legislation, police are responsible for identifying gang leaders and members, while the courts determine whether a group is officially designated as a gang.
According to the latest police statistics released under the law, two cases have been forwarded for prosecution, six locations have been searched, 11 people have been arrested and seven cases remain under investigation.
