Hassan Ibrahim, 25, Mirihimaage, R. Maduvvari has been sentenced for 25 years in prison and fined MVR 100,000 over drug trafficking.

The case involves a Turkish citizen named Suat Isikli who was arrested by Maldives Customs Service officers on suspicion of drugs in his luggage. Police arrested Hassan Ibrahim in a controlled delivery operation to check who was coming to receive the luggage from the Turkish national.

During the operation, Police stayed with the Turkish man in his room at the Villa Rest Guesthouse in Hulhumale' to see who would come to receive the luggage. Hassan was arrested after he checked the luggage and was about to leave with it.

The luggage consisted cocaine which was sealed with rubber stuffing in the luggage.

During the investigation, the Turkish national revealed that he was given the luggage and cash by a Brazilian, to carry the drugs into Maldives. He said he was asked to wait at Villa Rest to wait for a man named 'Michael' who would come to collect the luggage and handover cash to him.

Police report on the case stated that Hassan identified himself as 'Michael' when he arrived at Villa Rest. Search of the Turkish national's phone revealed that he had been updating Hassan on his journey with the luggage.

Police confiscated a Samsung phone and a large sum of money from the man.

Investigation also revealed that Hassan's bank account had rolled over large sums of money despite him being unemployed and not having a registered business.

As such, Criminal Court ruled that Hassan was guilty of drug trafficking and sentenced him to 25 years in prison and fined him MVR 100,000.