Indian police accuse Rasheeda of smuggling drugs for years

The Indian police has accused a Maldivian woman in their custody - Aminath Rasheeda, 57 from B. Eydhafushi of smuggling drugs for years.

Rasheeda was arrested by India’s Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB), under suspicions of smuggling drugs from Mumbai to Maldives.

According to Indian news outlets, the NCB had issued a lookout circular against Rasheeda, after “her name surfaced in a 3.906 kg opium case, seized from a courier agency last year in December.”

An NCB officer anonymously said to an Indian news outlet - ‘mid.day’ that, “After the raids at a courier agency, we found an unclaimed bag. The investigation revealed she was involved in the case. We issued a lookout circular soon after.”

In the raid that took place in Andheri, a bag was found with a microwave, which had the drugs concealed in it.

They alleged then she went underground and visited India again this year in February, unaware of the lookout circular.

Hence, as soon as landed at Cochin Airport on February 12, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) of India took her into custody. She was then taken to Mumbai and produced before the Mumbai Killa Court.

As per the outlet, she remains in judicial custody.

It was further stated that investigations by Indian authorities revealed that Rasheeda was in the smuggling business for many years, and also alleged that one of her sons is a peddler who was arrested in Maldives.

NCB states that “…the accused and other members of her group keep changing their identities. The same phone number was rotated among the group members to dodge the agency.”

While she runs a clothing business in Maldives, she is known to make frequent trips abroad.

Rasheeda’s family firmly denies her involvement, and say that they were met with shock upon hearing the news.

A family member who spoke to Sun – on the condition of anonymity alleged that she was being framed jointly by a Maldivian residing in India and her cargo agent.

“This is a scam committed through a Maldivian living in India’s Bangalore. The other person involved in this is an Indian national named Arif. That is the cargo agent which sends products from India to Rasheeda. This is a scam planned by these two people. I can guarantee you this.”

Additionally, the family say that both the Maldivian and cargo agent would be aware of Rasheeda’s personal details – including her personal details and address, hence it would not be hard to create a package under her name.

“If the address is known, anyone can make a parcel under the name. Even we do not know how this parcel had come out. But no drugs have been discovered from Rasheeda.”

They also stress that she has no criminal record in Maldives or any other country.

The family have been working to free her with assistance from lawyers, however, they have not been successful in their efforts so far.