Man jailed for life and fined half a million after cannabis trafficking conviction

The Criminal Court has sentenced Ishfag Waheed, of G. Sundas, Male' City, to life imprisonment and an additional three years, four months and 24 days, after finding him guilty on all three charges related to the discovery of cannabis and cannabis-based products inside an apartment in G. Sundas.

The verdict was delivered on Tuesday by Criminal Court Judge Ali Nadheem, who ruled that the prosecution had proven all charges beyond reasonable doubt based on evidence recovered during a police search of the second floor of the residence on October 14, 2024, following an intelligence tip-off.

The prosecution charged Ishfag with trafficking cannabis, using cannabis, and committing an act without permission.

According to the closing report, police found more than 18 grams of cannabis inside the apartment, including cannabis stored in two bottles, three self-sealing packets, and additional cannabis found in a bedroom closet and drawer. Officers also recovered a digital cutter used for weighing cannabis, a stick of cannabis, a 500 ml bottle of cannabis-infused liquid kept under the TV rack, MVR 86,000, and USD 1,690.

Ishfag claimed in court that the room was not his living space. However, police established that he opened the door with a key at the time of arrest, and his ID card, expired licence, motorcycle registration, medical documents from Advance Medical Clinic dated 10 September 2024, along with his clothes and wallet, were found inside the cupboards and drawers of the room.

Forensic analysis of two cigarette butts recovered from the bathroom ashtray confirmed Ishfag’s DNA, while two urine tests conducted at separate facilities both returned positive for cannabis.

The court concluded that the drugs were possessed with intent to traffic, based on intelligence reports, the quantity of cannabis, the presence of weighing tools, and the large amount of cash found at the scene.

Although Ishfag’s family members testified that the room was unoccupied, the judge rejected the claim, noting that the family had clearly identified the rooms occupied by other members, making their testimony unreliable and favourable to the defendant.

Based on the prosecution’s evidence across all three charges, the Criminal Court found Ishfag Waheed guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment, plus an additional three years, four months and 24 days. He was also ordered to pay a fine exceeding MVR 500,000.