The “college student” from Noonu Atoll Velidhoo, who was previously arrested during the protest on the night of October 3, has now been taken into custody once again, this time in connection with a drug related case.

According to the Maldives Police Service, the student was arrested along with several others for possession of a large quantity of drugs. 

Police allege that the suspects are part of a wider network involved in drug trafficking across the country.

Authorities said the operation led to the discovery of a significant amount of narcotics, though details regarding the type and quantity have not been disclosed. 

The same student had earlier drawn public attention when he was detained amid the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s protest in Malé on October 3. 

MDP had claimed at the time that he was a college student who was merely attempting to pass through the protest site on his way home when police “brutally arrested” him. 

The court had subsequently released him without bail after the detention in the protest.