Report: Soodh
Maldives Police Services have revealed that 2 of the biggest drug dealers have been arrested.Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Abdulla Riyaz briefing the media on Friday afternoon said that 2 were arrested in a special seek out operation conduct to seek out and arrest those related to the drugs imported by a Pakistani Azmath Khan who arrived Maldives on the 15 of this month. Maldives Police reported that Azmath Khan arrived Maldives carrying 2.18 kilograms of narcotics via Qatar Airways. The imported narcotics have a street value of MRF7 Million.
ACP Riyaz said that the seek out operation was jointly conducted by Maldives Police and Maldives Customs. He also said that the operation was the most successful of such operations carried out.
Briefing the media, Superintendent of Customs Ahmed Nasheed said that customs were first alerted through intelligence and were on the watch out for the Pakistani.
“We have been on the look out for a long time, we were waiting for the Pakistani who came on the 15, on his arrival our officers at the airport notified us of his arrival and we proceeded from there, we informed the police and a team from police and our team went to the airport and agreed on the how best to proceed further, in this regard Azmath Khan was arrested at the airport and handed over to police for further investigations” said Nasheed Superintendent of Customs.
Nasheed further revealed that this was the second attempt made by a Pakistani to import drugs in to the country this year.” Normally Pakistani’s use a false bottom on their suitcases to hide the drugs” said Nasheed.
ACP Abdulla Riyaz briefing the media said when the matter was handed over to police for further investigations, they immediately commenced operation to seek out others who were involved. He said a special task force was formed which included members of anti drug enforcement bureau and internal intelligence department. He said so 8 have been arrested.
In the under cover operation, the first to be arrested in addition to the Pakistani , was Ibrahim Habeeb of Sosun Villa / Burunee of Thaa Atoll.
As previously arranged the drugs were to be handed over according instructions given by another Pakistani who were a friend of Habeeb. Habeeb was arrested near the guest house where Azmath Khan was lodging on suspicion that he went there to collect the drugs.
“Further investigation revealed that Habeeb went there with another accomplice, he is Abdul Hameed Abdul Samadh , after their arrest we learnt that Azmath Khan was informed to take the drugs to a guest house in Maafannu, Azmath Khan was acting as he was told, we found that the person who went to collect drugs was Hassan Sumaidh Hussain of Maafanu / Rankokaa, he too was apprehended when he took off with the drugs, further investigation revealed that Hassan Sumaidh Hassan was also informed to go and collect the drugs too” said ACP Riyaz.
According to ACP Riyaz ,Hassan Sumaidh Hussain was informed by Waseem Abdulla of Dhaaluge / Fuvahmulku to go and collect the drugs. However he has already sent someone else to collect the drugs and that Waseem at that time was in Addu. The person sent by Waseem was Ibrahim Naeem of Gulfarmge/ L.Ishdhoo. He too was arrested as he went to see Sumaidh to collect the drugs, and Waseem Abdulla now has been arrested and brought to Male’ on the 22 of this month.
ACP Riyaz said that Waseem Abdulla and Abdul Hameed Abdul Samadh were top dealers and that police were on their trail for sometime. He also said 7 out of the 8 arrested have already confessed. “Waseem Abdulla has been previously arrested on drug charges” said ACP.
The operation was conducted very secretively as we had received information some of the police officers were acting as informers.
“The operation was top secret, as we had information that there were some leaks within the police services as well” said ACP.
“During the course of the information we found that Corporal Manan Mohamed Shareef of Drug Enforcement Unit was an accomplice, we have now taken him into our custody and he already given information on how he helped the dealers” ACP revealed.
During the news briefing police showed CCTV footage of activities of the dealers leading to their arrests. At the briefing police only revealed identities of 7 people arrested. Police said the identity of the 8 th man was kept confidential as he was still in the investigation process. Pakistani arrested at the airport was on his first visit to Maldives.
Before concluding the news conference ACP said the police are still for more accomplices.
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