Four involved in Male' drug trafficking ring receive life sentence, fined MVR 4 million

The Criminal Court on Wednesday issued the life sentence against four people, including a woman, involved in running a drug trafficking ring in the Maldivian capital.

On January 12, 2021, the police arrested four individuals in a counter-narcotics operation in Male’ after intelligence gathered by the agency indicated they were involved in a large-scale drug trafficking ring.

They are:

• Hassan Looth,45, Rangal, GDh. Thinadhoo
• Hassan Rasheed,36, Hulhumale’ flat no. 45-G-1
• Ismail Shareef, 43, White Rose, Th. Thimarafushi
• Shaniya Ibrahim, 35, Ma. Haslath, K. Male’

The police raided multiple properties in Male’ City linked to them; Ma. Honeysuckle, M. Burehimaage, G. Nee, and the Reyali guesthouse in M. Reyalivaage. The police seized 54 grams of diamorphine or heroine and 266 grams of cannabis, along with over MVR 1.5 million in cash from the properties.

According to the prosecution, all four were found in possession of diamorphine. They were charged with trafficking diamorphine.

Looth was arrested from G. Nee, where they found diamorphine. When questioned by the police, Looth said he had been addicted to heroin since 1998. The police then escorted Looth to his residence, M. Burehimaage, where they found cash bundles of MVR 1 million, MVR 450,000, and MVR 16,000 packed separately in bags.

He was unable to explain the source of the money.

Hassan Rasheed was arrested from the ground floor of Ma. Honeysuckle, with a packet of diamorphine in the pocket of his jeans.

Meanwhile, Ismail Shareef and Shaniya were arrested from a room in the Reyali guesthouse, where the police found dozens of packets of diamorphine. They also recovered cash totaling MVR 76,675 – including a MVR 7,800 that someone went and gave to Ismail Shareef while the police had been raiding the property.

He was unable to explain the source of the money.

When questioned by investigators, Ismail Shareef said he had been addicted to heroin since 1998, while Shaniya said she had been taking heroin for the last 10 years.

In addition to seeking the life sentence against them, the prosecution also asked the court to declare that the money found from the properties linked to them were obtained through illegal means, and asked for it to be recovered by the state.

On Wednesday, the Criminal Court found all four guilty of trafficking diamorphine, and sentenced them to life terms of 25 years in prison. It also ordered for the state to recover the MVR 1.5 million in cash seized in the case.

They were also fined by a total of MVR 4 million – Looth by MVR 2 million, Hassan Rasheed by MVR 1 million, and Ismail Shareef and Shaniya by MVR 500,000 each.

They were told to pay the fine within one year.

The case was heard by Judge Ismail Shafeeu.