Missing Maldivian man went to embassy in March seeking help to exit Pakistan

Foreign Ministry states their records show the young man reported missing by his family, and who the police believe to be held as human collateral by an international drug trafficking ring, went to the Maldivian embassy in Islamabad in March, seeking assistance to travel out of Pakistan after his visa expired.

Misbah Mohamed, 25, Morning Sun, HDh. Nolhivaranfaru, was reported missing to the police by his family in April. Police asked for public’s assistance in locating Misbah on May 14, and later announced Immigration records show he left Maldives last year.

A police spokesperson told Sun last Wednesday that Misbah was found to have left Maldives on November 11 last year at 10:13 pm. Police have traced him taking a plane to Dubai, and then to Pakistan.

Foreign Ministry’s Communications Director Miuvan Mohamed told Sun this Thursday that Misbah went to the Maldivian embassy in Islamabad in mid-March, seeking assistance to travel out of Pakistan as his visa had expired.

Miuvan said Misbah did not provide any information regarding his situation with the embassy officials, nor ask for any other assistance.

He said that embassy officials informed Misbah of the procedure for dealing with expired visas, and that they did not hear from him after that.

Police said on Wednesday that Misbah was found to have traveled with Irufan Thagiyyu, Dheyliyaage, S. Hulhudhoo. Irufan ran large-scale drug smuggling and distribution networks in Maldives, and was arrested in connection to a 72-kilo heroin shipment smuggled to Maldives via sea on December 8 last year, a month after he and Misbah traveled to Dubai.

They were also found to have traveled to the airport on Irufan’s car – from which the drug shipment was later found.

Irufan returned to Maldives on an Emirates flight on November 11, 11 days after they left, without Misbah, who traveled on to Pakistan.

Police believe Misbah went to be held by the international drug trafficking ring - which supplied the drugs to Irufan and his drug trafficking ring - as human collateral until the payment for the drug shipment was settled.