The Criminal Court has sentenced Sharuvaan Saleem of Gibraltar, Hithadhoo, to life imprisonment on drug trafficking charges.
Case Overview:
- The Incident: Sharuvaan was arrested after attempting to collect a package delivered through FedEx, containing 989.1 grams of drugs concealed in two rubber packets. The package, initially brought to the Maldives on a Fly Dubai flight, was flagged by Customs during a scan and handed over to the Police for investigation.
- The Operation:
- Police conducted a sting operation at the FedEx office, where Mohamed Shiyah Ali arrived to retrieve the package.
- Shiyah claimed he was collecting the package on behalf of someone named ‘Sana’ and arranged for the package to be handed over at a specific location.
- Sharuvaan arrived at the location to collect the package and was apprehended by Police as he attempted to leave with it on his motorcycle.
Court Proceedings:
- Sharuvaan’s Defense: He denied involvement, claiming he had no motive to receive a drug-laden package.
- Court Verdict: The court ruled that the State had sufficiently proven the charges against Sharuvaan.
Sentencing and Fine:
- Imprisonment: Sharuvaan received a 25-year life sentence.
- Fine: Despite the absence of evidence suggesting drug sales or possession of large sums of money, Sharuvaan was fined MVR 100,000, the minimum penalty for such cases.
