Addu drug kingpin, Abucha, released on parole

Abdulla Ibrahim (Abucha), alleged to be one of the biggest drug traffickers in Addu City, has been released on parole.

A media official from the Maldives Correctional Service confirmed to Sun that Abucha was released last Thursday under parole. Parole allows inmates to be conditionally released into the community before completing their full sentences, subject to specific requirements.

While the official confirmed that Abucha was released subject to specific parole conditions, no further details were disclosed. If he violates any of the conditions, he will be required to serve the remainder of his sentence in prison. Eligibility for parole typically requires an inmate to have served a specified portion of their sentence and to be deemed no longer a threat to the community.

Abucha was sentenced to 25 years in prison—equivalent to a life sentence—in May last year. He was apprehended at sea in October 2020 during an operation that foiled an attempt to smuggle 98.6 kg of narcotics into the Maldives.

Although he initially faced two charges, each carrying a 25-year sentence, a plea agreement with the Prosecutor General’s Office resulted in a reduction of his overall sentence. At the time of his release, Abucha had served five years of his sentence, leaving approximately 20 years of his original term remaining.