65-Year-Old Man Remanded for Drug Smuggling
A 65-year-old Maldivian man, Abdulla Sodiq, has been remanded for 15 days following his arrest on suspicion of smuggling drugs into the Maldives.
Sodiq, a resident of Hithadhoo in Addu City, was apprehended at Velana International Airport upon his arrival on Monday aboard a Sri Lankan Airlines flight.
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According to police reports, Sodiq was found in possession of 349 grams of substances believed to be drugs. A court has ordered his detention while investigations are ongoing.
This arrest comes amidst heightened efforts by Maldivian authorities to combat drug trafficking. On Wednesday, the Maldives Customs Service also intercepted narcotics in an air cargo shipment and a postal package, with the substances testing positive for heroin, synthetic cathinone, cannabis, and ecstasy.
Three Maldivians Arrested Upon Return for Violent Incident
In a separate case, three Maldivians wanted under Interpol Red Notices have been arrested after returning to the Maldives. Mohamed Sibth Abdulla, Mohamed Ahsam, and Aswaan Mohamed were sought in connection with an assault involving a dangerous weapon that took place in Malé City on 4 September 2023.
The suspects were detained at Velana International Airport after being deported from Thailand. One of the men was arrested on Wednesday, with the other two taken into custody the following day.
While Aswaan Mohamed has been released on bail, Mohamed Sibth Abdulla and Mohamed Ahsam remain in police custody as they await trial.
Suspect in Gang Attack Walks Free on Technicality
Aswaan Mohamed, one of the three men arrested for the 2023 gang attack, has been released from custody due to a technical error in the legal process.
Aswaan, along with the other two suspects, fled the country shortly after the attack. An Interpol Red Notice was issued, leading to their arrest and deportation. Although Aswaan was initially remanded after his return, the Criminal Court released him during a recent hearing, citing improper filing procedures by the police.
Court documents reveal that Aswaan had previously been released due to insufficient evidence, a decision later overturned by the High Court. However, he managed to leave the country again before authorities could file a new detention request. Upon his return, the Prosecutor General’s Office formally charged him with assault using a sharp weapon, but the case was dismissed in August 2024 due to confusion over his whereabouts.
Following his rearrest, the police sought a detention order, arguing that Aswaan posed a threat to the community and was a flight risk. However, his lawyer successfully contested this request, stating that it should have been filed by the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO), not the police. Judge Ibrahim Ihsan ruled that the police’s detention request violated legal procedures, leading to Aswaan’s release.
This case highlights the importance of procedural accuracy in criminal prosecutions and the challenges authorities face in ensuring that suspects do not evade justice.
