Criminal Court Extends Detention of Suspected Drug Smuggler

The Criminal Court has ordered a 15-day extension to the remand of a boat captain accused of smuggling drugs into the Maldives. 

The individual, identified as Nasvan Adil, a 30-year-old Indonesian national and captain of the vessel Muthaa Diamond, is alleged to have trafficked narcotics into the country by sea.

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Authorities initially arrested 10 expatriates on 21 March in connection with the case. Five of them were remanded for five days each, while the remaining five received one-day remand periods. The focus has since shifted to Nasvan, whom investigators consider the primary suspect.

The court’s latest order follows the discovery of seven packages suspected to contain narcotic substances found in the engine room of the vessel during an inspection. Preliminary forensic testing confirmed the presence of cannabinol and tetrahydrocannabinol, with a combined net weight of 6.5 kilograms.

Despite Nasvan’s claim that he was unaware of the illicit cargo, the court found this defence inadequate given his position as captain. According to the ruling, the captain bears responsibility for unclaimed goods found on board. Police stated they had not found evidence linking the drugs to any other individuals present on the vessel at the time of the incident.

While other suspects were released due to insufficient evidence, the court maintained that Nasvan’s role as the vessel’s captain placed him in a unique position of accountability.