Sri Lankan authorities arrested three Maldivian nationals with two kilos of heroin on Saturday, according to local media reports.
The country's Daily Mirror newspaper said the three Maldivian national were arrested along with a Pakistani national in Mount Lavinia on Saturday by the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB).
Director of the PNB, SSP Kamal Silva was quoted as having said said the raid was conducted on the information gathered from suspects who were already in custody.
Silva reportedly said that at least 10 Maldivian nationals were arrested in the last six months on charges of heroin smuggling.
He said investigations revealed that the Pakistani national was of a main handler. Silva said the suspects would be detained for further questioning after they were produced in court.
The latest arrest comes days after Sri Lankan authorities busted a major human trafficking network operating between Sri Lanka and Maldives, which had reportedly sent more than 100 Sri Lankan women to work in brothels in Maldives.
According to the report, investigations were ongoing to arrest a Maldivian who is also largely involved in the racket by making preparations in Maldives.
