One of six alleged drug-lords arrested one month before elections

One of the six major drug dealers operating in the country, who were mentioned by President Mohamed Nasheed during a speech earlier this month, had in fact been arrested one month before the parliamentary elections took place, the Maldives Police Service has said.

A Police Media Official said on Tuesday that Hussain Mohamed Manik, of H. Rehi, was one among the drug dealers mentioned by President Nasheed and he had been arrested on 9 April. Following the arrest, Police issued a statement which said that Hussain’s arrest was a really big step forward in their war against drug trafficking. They had released details, including a picture, on 16 April.

President Nasheed had made the controversial speech about knowing the identities of the six major drug dealers operating in the country in Gaafu Alifu atoll Dhevvadhoo during the election campaigns. Speaking to the residents of the island, President Nasheed said that if the identities were revealed and the drug-lords arrested he would be criticized as having arrested people who did not support the Government.

A statement issued by the Police on Tuesday said that Hussain Mohamed Manik had been arrested with ample evidence to back the case against him and that the investigation was still ongoing. A Police Media Official said that the statement had been issued by the Police in order to clear up the misconception among the public that they were not doing anything to arrest the drug dealers in the country despite knowing their identities.

According to the press release issued by the Police on 16 April, Hussain Mohamed Manik was one of the two people who were arrested in connection to the case where an elderly couple had been duped into smuggling more than 1kg of drugs hidden inside some kitchen utensils in their baggage. The press release had further called Hussain Mohamed Manik a ‘high profile person’ in the drug trade.

The statement issued by the Police on Tuesday assured the public that they were working non-stop to gather evidence and intelligence against the major drug dealers in the country and to arrest them and bring them to justice.