Malé, Maldives – Maldives Police on Monday stated that officers will patrol 25 drug cafés round the clock in an attempt to stop the drug related services provided at these locations.
In an extensive operation initiated yesterday, Police cracked down on multiple drug cafés that provide fortified locations with seating arrangements for drug peddling and drug use.
Police have to date sent 8 cases to the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) for prosecution with 4 cases in the investigation stage.
The landlord of M. Brightflower, Hussain Yusuf is the first person to be prosecuted under the Drug Act of Maldives Article 127 (b).
While the Drug Act was passed over a decade ago, this is the first time an action is taken against the landlord of a building. The Article 127 (b) states that,
- It shall be an offence to commit any act that may alter the origin of or title to any property or money that are proceeds of an offence of drug peddling or trafficking; or cause to be transferred or assist in the transferring of the title to any property or money that are proceeds of an offence of drug peddling or trafficking, in order to conceal the fact that they are proceeds of crime or to assist a person who participated in the commission of the offence to escape due punishment.
The Drug Act also states that if found guilty of Article 127 (b), the guilty party shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term of 3 (three) years and with a fine of an amount not less than Maldivian Rufiyaa 10,000 (ten thousand) but not exceeding Maldivian Rufiyaa 1,000,000 (one million).
