Life sentence for drug possession on cargo ship between Kulhudhuffushi and Male'

A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for drug trafficking after police found 50 grams of diamorphine in his possession while he was working as a crew member on a cargo vessel operating between Male' and Haa Dhaalu atoll Kulhudhuffushi.

He was arrested after police received a tip-off and discovered a paper bag containing the drugs during a search at North Harbour.

He pleaded not guilty, claiming he did not know the bag contained drugs and would not have accepted it had he known. The prosecution presented evidence to prove the charge, while the defendant offered no evidence in his defence.

The Kulhudhuffushi Magistrate’s Court found that the bag had not been sealed in any way and noted that anyone transporting an item by ship would reasonably be expected to know who entrusted them with it and who would be collecting it. The court said the defendant was unable to identify the person who handed him the bag.

Photographs submitted by prosecutors showed no name or contact number on the bag. The court ruled that the drugs were found in the right front pocket of the defendant’s jeans, establishing that they were in his possession.

Chief Magistrate Mohamed Ismail sentenced him to life imprisonment of 25 years and imposed a fine of MVR 100,000, to be paid within 12 months.