Hulhumale' drug suspects sentenced to 12 years and six months after plea deal

Two men arrested in a drug operation in Hulhumale' last year have been sentenced to 12 years and six months in jail and fined MVR 50,000 each.

Counter Narcotics Intelligence arrested Ibrahim Risfan, 25, Saaz/HDh. Neykurendhoo, and Mohamed Zain, M. Vilaathu-kunnaaruge-aage, Male' City, on April 19 last year, police said.

The operation was conducted jointly by Drug Enforcement and Counter Narcotics Intelligence. Officers searched three apartments, two cars and two motorcycles across three towers in Hulhumale' Phase II, recovering 968.6 grams of suspected drugs.

Risfan and Zain were charged with trafficking dimorphine in July last year. Both pleaded guilty and entered plea agreements with the prosecution. Under the agreement, their life sentences were reduced by half, resulting in 12 years and six months in prison, while the MVR 100,000 fine was reduced to MVR 50,000.

The sentences were delivered last month by Justice Ibrahim Ihusaan at the Criminal Court.