Cannabis — Maldives

Cannabis is illegal in the Maldives, and a small amount is not treated leniently. Using cannabis carries three years in prison, and because the law presumes that a person who is not drug-dependent holds even 5 grams or less for trade, a visitor caught with a small amount faces a trading charge carrying 15 years rather than a simple possession charge. The 2025 amendment also made it an offence to be the owner, tenant, occupant or person in charge of premises where you know, or have reasonable cause to believe, that drugs are being used, so a guesthouse room, villa or boat you are responsible for can expose you even if the drugs are not yours. Rehabilitation instead of prison is decided by the Drug Court after you are arrested and charged, so it is not something a traveller can rely on.

Under the Drugs Act (Law No. 17/2011): using cannabis is punishable by 3 years' imprisonment (s.113); trading in cannabis by 15 years plus a fine of MVR 25,000 to MVR 500,000 (s.108); peddling cannabis by 5 to 10 years plus a fine of MVR 15,000 to MVR 250,000 (s.107); and trafficking cannabis by life imprisonment, which the Act defines as 25 years, plus a fine of MVR 100,000 to MVR 10,000,000 (s.106). As amended by Law No. 28/2025, importing or exporting drugs carries 20 years plus a fine of MVR 75,000 to MVR 7,500,000, and the death penalty may be imposed where a person brings more than 350 grams of cannabis into the country at the time of entry. Offences carrying life imprisonment or the death penalty are not eligible for clemency in any circumstance, and a person accused of one is not eligible for a plea agreement under the Criminal Procedure Code (Act No. 12/2016). The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office states that the Maldivian authorities have a zero-tolerance policy and that possessing drugs even in very small quantities can lead to arrest and detention, long prison sentences, and corporal punishment in some cases.

Verified Sep 6, 2026