The prosecution has appealed the release of an alleged drug lord by suspended Criminal Court Judge Hussain Faiz Rashad.
The suspect, Ali Anwar Mohamed, 35, of Cozy Corner, S. Hithadhoo, was arrested in 2019 in connection with the smuggling of 70 kilograms of drugs into Maldives aboard the Iranian vessel Al-Shaban. The ship was intercepted 172 nautical miles northwest of Thuraakunu, leading to the arrest of five Maldivians, six Iranians, and two Bangladeshis. Police identified Ali Anwar as one of three key suspects, alongside Ahmed Shakeeb and Mohamed Rishfan.
Judge Faiz released Ali Anwar after his initial five-day remand expired, remanding him without conditions. Following his release, Ali Anwar fled to Sri Lanka but was re-arrested after being denied entry.
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has since suspended Judge Faiz, with multiple cases filed against him, including the release of Ali Anwar. The JSC has not publicly commented on the matter.
According to the High Court registry, the appeal was filed this week. Judge Faiz reportedly justified the release by citing procedural violations by police, including the execution of a search warrant after the suspect’s arrest. The judge noted that no evidence was recovered during the search.
Ali Anwar’s case is one of several major drug cases recently withdrawn or dismissed:
A 61 kg drug case was withdrawn at the prosecution’s request  
A 72 kg case was initially dismissed due to non-payment of the appeal fee, but later accepted