61 kg drugs: Alleged drug lords acquitted, 6 jailed for life
The four men who were acquitted are the four accused by the prosecution of being in charge of smuggling drugs into the country.
By
Fathmath Ahmed Shareef
Criminal Court on Tuesday convicted and handed life sentences to six people in connection with 61 kg of drugs seized in March 2020 in a joint operation conducted by the police intelligence, drug enforcement department and marine police. However, four key suspects were acquitted.
Ahmed Visam, M. Boilingfish/Male, in conjunction with others, led an operation on 26 March 2020 to smuggle 61 kg of drugs into the country. Eleven persons were charged on 23 May 2020.
One of them died in September while in custody pending trial.
The court convicted and sentenced the accused to life imprisonment on Tuesday:
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1-
Ahmed Shifaz, Hulhumale Flat No. 06-G-4 - Trafficking in diamorphine and permitting a person leasing a vessel to illegally traffic in a Schedule I drug
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2-
Mohammed Rishwan Ibrahim, Mushthareege/M. Muli - Ttrafficking in diamorphine
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3-
Hussain Sunaz, Sosanvilla/M. Muli - Tafficking in diamorphine
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4-
Abdullah Sham, M.a. Boalhakinkirimaage/Male - Trafficking in diamorphine and refusing to give urine sample
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5-
Mohammed Maaidh, Oceanview/M. Kolhufushi - Trafficking in diamorphine
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6-
Saudullah Rasheed, M. Capricorn/Male - Trafficking in diamorphine and refusing to give urine sample.
The six were sentenced to life imprisonment, but will have to spend 21 years, nine months and 25 days in prison after the time already spent in prison is deducted from the sentence. In addition, MVR 100,000 has been levied as fine, to be paid to MIRA within one year.
The four men who were acquitted are:
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1-
Ahmed Visam - Trafficking in diamorphine and obstruction of justice
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2-
Mohammed Maish, M. Maakolhu/Male - Trafficking in diamorphine and use of diamorphine
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3-
Mohammed Shamin, M. Virah/Male - Trafficking in diamorphine and obstruction of justice
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4-
Mohammed Hameed, Guldhasthaage/G.Dh. Rathafandhoo - Trafficking in diamorphine
The four men who were acquitted are the four accused by the prosecution of being in charge of smuggling drugs into the country.
According to the charges filed against the 11 accused, Ahmed Visam was involved in smuggling large quantities of drugs into Maldives on vessels from Pakistan and Iran.
The police team started the investigation on March 22, 2020, when they received intelligence inputs that the four acquitted had sent the six convicted persons on the mission to retrieve the drugs from off the coast of AA. Thoddoo on the 'Irualimas' vessel.
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On the evening of March 25, 2020, the police followed the boat after seeing 'Alimasdhoni' entering the sea from outside AA. Thoddoo and R. Rasmaadhoo
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On March 26, 2020, at around 4:08 pm, when the vessel entered near Male T-Jetty and approached the WAMCO jetty, the six convicts were arrested there
