Nadeem, arrested in Addu drug bust, also dismissed from gov post

Ali Nadheem (Nadhama), arrested for drug trafficking in an operation carried out in Addu last November, has been dismissed from his political post, the Sports Ministry confirmed today. 

In an operation carried out in Hithadhoo on November 3 last year, five individuals were arrested. The man accused of leading this network was a Nadheem, 30, who was appointed as a Senior Political Director at Sports Ministry in 2024. 

He remains in police custody since his arrest. 

The Sports Ministry Media Official stated that Nadheem had been dismissed from his post on December 6 following his arrest. 

Police earlier said that investigations against this network on drug trafficking and money laundering charges had been commenced in March last year. The investigation had uncovered that the network had been involved in drug trafficking since 2017, Police said. 

Police also found that over the past five years, upwards of MVR 19 million was circulated through the accounts of four persons involved in the network. 

Nadheem is known to be very active in sports in Addu, leading efforts to hold futsal tournaments. 

Another political appointee was amongst four individuals arrested in a drug operation carried out in GA atoll and Male' this Sunday. This was Ahmed Anaam Ibrahim, a Senior Political Director at the Economic Ministry. He, too, has now been dismissed.