Woman sentenced to 12 years for drug trafficking; fined MVR 50,000

A woman who attempted to traffic diamorphine into the Maldives has been sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined MVR 50,000.

According to the charge sheet, two rubber packets were found in the pocket of the jeans worn by Saha Waheed, Udhares, from GDh. Madaveli, while at Velana International Airport (VIA)’s domestic terminal on the night of August 7, 2024, to depart S. Fan. The prosecution, citing the drug test report, said the rubber packets contained 202.2 grams of diamorphine.

Saha pleaded guilty in the case. A plea agreement executed between Saha and the Prosecutor General’s Office (PG Office) dictated that she would be sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison, and fined MVR 50,000.

Saha had already been in custody for four months and three days in connection to the case. Thus, she appealed to the Court to omit the days she spent in custody from the sentence agreed with the prosecution.

However, the Court sentenced her to 12 months and six days as agreed under the plea deal. She was also ordered to settle an MVR 50,000 fine with the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA).

Trafficking diamorphine, aiding in trafficking diamorphine, or participating in trafficking diamorphine in any way is a criminal offense under Article 103 of the Drugs Act.

Aiding in trafficking diamorphine or participating in any way in trafficking diamorphine carries a prison sentence of 18 years and a fine between MVR 75,000 and MVR 750,000. Trafficking diamorphine carries a prison sentence of life and a fine between MVR 100,000 and MVR 10 million.