The Police, on Monday night, revealed that the four suspects arrested on Sunday during “Operation Alimagu” raids in Malé and Gaafu Alifu Atoll had circulated over MVR 300 million and USD 400,000 through their bank accounts within a five-year span.
‘Operation Alimagu’, targeting major drug traffickers who also launder their illegal proceeds, was launched last November. The nationwide operation was expanded to Gaafu Alifu Atoll on Sunday. On the same day, the Police announced the arrest of four suspects during raids conducted in Gaafu Alifu Atoll and Male’ as part of the operation. They are:
Shaffah Latheef, 28, Shevona, GA. Villingili  
Ahmed Madheeh, 33, Miuzikeeaage, GA. Villingili  
Ahmed Anaam Ibrahim, 20, Aizan, GA. Villingili  
Noorul-Nizam, 35, Araairuge, GA. Villingili  
Out of the suspects, Anaam is a political director at the Economic Ministry and Shaffah was a political director at the Home Ministry during the last administration as confirmed to Sun by both Ministries. Anaam has since been dismissed from his post.
The Police, on Sunday night, said Shaffah, Madheeh and Ameen have been remanded in custody pending the outcome of their trial, while Noorul-Nizam has been remanded in custody for 15 days.
The authority provided an update via a statement on Monday night, which read that all four suspects are believed to be ringleaders of a network involved in drug trafficking and money laundering. The Police added that the suspects have been under investigation since March of last year.
According to the Police, their investigations have uncovered that the specific drug network has been engaged in trafficking operations since 2015, with over MVR 300,000 and USD 400,000 circulated within their bank accounts within the past five years.
In this regard, police detailed that MVR 17,174,461.12 (Seventeen million one hundred and seventy-four thousand four hundred and sixty-one Rufiyaa and twelve laari) was circulated through Madheeh’s bank account, despite his salary deposits during the period totaling MVR 430,638.99 (Four hundred and thirty thousand six hundred and thirty-eight Rufiyaa and ninety-nine laari).
Meanwhile, MVR 38,812,690.60 (Thirty-eight million eight hundred and twelve thousand six hundred and ninety Rufiyaa and sixty laari) was circulated through Anaam’s account, even though his salary deposits amounted to MVR 271,874.32 (Two hundred and seventy-one thousand eight hundred and seventy-four Rufiyaa and thirty-two laari).
Similarly, MVR 6,916,752.83 (Six million nine hundred and sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty-two Rufiyaa and eighty-three laari) was circulated through Shaffah’s account, despite his salary deposits totaling MVR 371,635.36 (Three hundred and seventy-one thousand six hundred and thirty-five Rufiyaa and thirty-six laari).
The Police added that, under court orders, 53 bank accounts belonging to 13 individuals have been frozen for the purposes of their investigation.
Moreover, the Police detailed that they identified 19 individuals who are believed to be the mastermind behind this drug network and individuals working under the alleged mastermind in the trafficking drugs and money laundering. The authority stressed that it was conducting investigations against all these suspects.
Operation Alimagu in Gaafu Alifu Atoll involved raids on locations linked to suspected drug traffickers, carried out by special teams from South Police in coordination with Police Intelligence and the Drug Enforcement Department in both Gaafu Alifu Atoll and Male'.