Mohamed Shareef, charged in the case where drugs weighing more than 6 kilograms was found at the Ensis Fisheries accommodation and maintenance block in Hulhumale', has been sentenced to 25 years in prison by the Criminal Court.

The suspects that were arrested in June 2020 after being accused of conducting a large-scale drug trafficking operation in Maldives are GDh. Vaadhoo, Asrafeege, Mohamed Shareef and GA. Kolamaafushi, Karankaavilaage, Afsal Rasheed. After the Ensis accommodation block was searched, 6.5 kilograms of drugs that were hidden in various places were found.

The Criminal Court's verdict on Monday reads that even though the place where the drugs were found had people coming and going, witness statements confirmed that Mohamed Shareef also frequented the place. The sentence reads that the fingerprints found on a pipe where the drugs were hidden and a digital weighing scale with traces of drugs matched Shareef's fingerprints.

Additionally, as the drugs were found in a bottle, video evidence was submitted which shows Shareef buying bottles of the same brand from a shop, the sentence reads. However, the verdict also says that there is no evidence linking him to the other drugs that were found.

The verdict continues by stating that Shareef is guilty of the crime in trafficking cannabis, with him being sentenced to 25 years in prison and fined MVR 100,000. After taking his remand into consideration, Shareef has to spend 23 years and six months in prison, as per the sentence.

He was sentenced to prison in connection to the case but was released later on. The police announced they were searching for him in April to produce him in court.

Even though Shareef has been sentenced to prison, no decision has been reached regarding Afsal.