The Criminal Court has extended the remand of a 53-year-old Maldivian man accused of leading a large-scale illegal alcohol distribution network in Malé, ordering him to be held in custody until November 28.
The suspect, identified as Mohamed Rashwan Abbas, faces charges of using, possessing, and trading alcohol. His latest remand extension took effect yesterday, following a request by the Prosecutor General’s Office.
During the detention hearing, state prosecutors argued that Rashwan is a primary ringleader in an organised operation that uses foreign nationals as a front to sell alcohol on a large scale across the capital. Conversely, his defence attorney contended that the matter constitutes a minor criminal offence and argued that Rashwan had already been held in custody for a sufficient duration.
Rejecting the defense’s argument, the court ordered his continued detention in a remand prison, ruling that releasing him would pose a threat to community safety given the nature of the case. The court noted that sufficient evidence had been submitted to substantiate the allegations, including statements from the attending police officer, an incident report, and photographic evidence.
Rashwan was initially arrested under a court order on October 13 during a joint operation by the Maldives Police Service’s Counter-Narcotics Intelligence Unit and the Drug Enforcement Department (DED).
The raids targeted a residence in the Henveiru ward of Malé and several connected storage locations, resulting in the seizure of 826 bottles of liquor. Three Bangladeshi nationals, aged 25, 34, and 43, were also arrested a day earlier in connection with the distribution ring.
