Police seize 29 kilos of drugs being smuggled into the country

Total of 29 kilograms of drugs being smuggled into the Maldives via sea has been seized.

At a press conference today by the Police, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Abdulla Navaz said that the Police have seized 29 kilograms of drugs that was being smuggled by a boat in the early hours of this morning. He said that so far it was the biggest shipment of drugs being smuggled to the Maldives.

In 2014, 24 kilograms of drugs were seized the Iran registered boat “Horumozu.” The case is still in court.

Assistant Commissioner Navaz said that the 29 kilo heroin shipment from believed to be coming from Pakistan, has a street value of MVR 145 million.

He said that head of the seized drug operation is 29-year-old Ahmed Sahood Hussain.

And the person who went to receive the drugs was 29-year-old Mohamed Niushadh from Laamu Maamendhoo on his boat with two others.

All four has been arrested and the Police have started an investigation.

Navaz said that the head of the operation, Sadhooh has a long criminal record with the Police. He is a suspect in the theft of the Baros Island safe by masked men went on the island along with gang violence and drug related charges.

And the person who captained the boat, Naushad also has a record for violence with a weapon and drug charges.

The drug boat was seized outside Alifu Dhaalu Atoll in a joint operation with MNDF Coastguard, Marine Police and Police Intelligence along with the SWAT team.

H ead of the Drug Enforcement Department of the Police, Moosa Ali said that 29 packets of suspected drugs were found in a gas cylinder on the boat once it was searched after being taken into Police custody and moving it to Dhoonidhoo.