The police have decided to beef up searches of boats in Malé and to conduct 24-hour patrols of the Hulhumalé lagoon in a bid to stop the smuggling of drugs and alcohol.
Special measures to combat drug trafficking were decided during a meeting held by Police Commissioner Ali Shujau with the Central Policing Command, Operations Support Command and senior officers of the Drug Enforcement Department.
Continuous 24-hour patrolling and monitoring of the Hulhumalé lagoon jointly by Drug Enforcement and Marine Police as well as more thorough searches of docked vessels and goods unloaded to islands from boats were approved during the meeting.
Improving traffic management in the roads of Malé was also decided at the meeting. More police officers are to be deployed to manage traffic and to ensure public safety and order near schools, hospitals, busy spots and roads prone to congestion.
Implementation of the decisions approved at the meeting will begin next Sunday, according to the police.
