The High Court has accepted the appeal filed by the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) over the acquittal of two of three suspects who were tried over a shipment of 72 kilos of heroin intercepted back in 2020, but rejected the petition over the acquittal of the third suspect citing failure to pay an MVR 300 registration fee.
The police had seized a shipment of 72 kilos of heroin that was smuggled into the Maldives on a fishing vessel ‘Masjaree 2’ in a counter-narcotics operation on December 8, 2020.
Out of the 10 arrested in the case, only three were tried; Irufan Thagiyyu from S. Hulhudhoo – who the police named as one of the ringleaders, and Ahmed Naseer of Dh. Maaenboodhoo, and Mohamed Akram of K. Male'.
However, all three were acquitted by the Criminal Court.
The High Court made its decision regarding the appeals filed by the PGO over their acquittal last week.
The court’s registrar, Maryam Hoorshida accepted the appeal filed over the acquittal of Naseer and Akram, but rejected that filed over Irfan, citing failure to pay the MVR 300 court registration fee within the mandated timeframe.
All three petitions were filed on the same day.
The PGO has filed for a review of the decision to reject the appeal over Irfan’s acquittal.
The police had seized the 72 kilos of heroin from the trunk of a car in Male’. According to police, the drugs were smuggled into the Maldives on ‘Masjaree 2’, and then transferred to the speedboat ‘Princess Sameer’ and transported to Male’.
The PGO had filed charges against all 10 arrested in the case, but later withdrew charges against seven of the suspects, citing insufficient evidence to successfully try them.