65-year-old man arrested for drug trafficking
The arrest comes after long standing allegations of Saleem’s involvement in drug trafficking activities.
Police have arrested a 65-year-old man, Mohamed Saleem, from a Hiyaa flat tower on Tuesday for drug trafficking.
Saleem, a native of Innamadhoo, was taken into custody after police discovered multiple packets of suspected drugs both on his person and in his apartment.
The arrest comes after long standing allegations of Saleem’s involvement in drug trafficking activities.
According to the police, Saleem has been active in drug-related operations for an extended period. Notably, he was previously charged in 2016 for trafficking dimorphine, a potent opioid, and was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment three years later.
However, in a turn of events, Saleem was placed under house arrest starting in 2021.
Superintendent of Police Nahid, who leads the Drug Enforcement Department, addressed the media at a press conference on Thursday following the arrest. He highlighted the persistent nature of Saleem’s activities, stating, “He deals in drugs even while under house arrest.”
Nahid also noted that Saleem’s activities had drawn police scrutiny as recently as last year.
While police have not disclosed the reasons behind Saleem’s transition from life imprisonment to house arrest, Nahid indicated that Saleem’s extensive network within the drug user community enabled him to continue trafficking operations despite being confined to his residence.
