Drug suspect Ali Anwar arrested after Sri Lanka deportation

Ali Anwar Mohamed, accused of leading a major drug-smuggling operation in Maldives, has been arrested again after being denied entry to Sri Lanka and deported back to Maldives.

Ali Anwar was previously detained in connection with the smuggling of 70 kilograms of drugs via an Iranian vessel.

He was released on Saturday after being held in custody for five days, but left the Maldives before police could arrest him under a separate warrant.

He travelled to Sri Lanka, where authorities refused him entry and deported him back to the Maldives. Upon arrival, he was arrested under the new warrant and has now been remanded in custody for 30 days. He faces charges of possession and trafficking of drugs.

Police have seized 16 grams of drugs from three rubber packets at Ali Anwar’s apartment, along with his passport and a scale used for weighing narcotics.

Ali Anwar was first arrested in October 2019 during a joint operation between the Maldives and Sri Lankan Coast Guard and police.

Authorities seized 70 kilograms of drugs from two vessels - an Iranian ship and a Maldivian fishing boat, “Hedheykuri-7.” Anwar, who has a previous record of theft, is alleged to have been one of three men in the smuggling operation.