Bangladeshi national sentenced to life in prison for smuggling drugs into the Maldives

The Criminal Court has sentenced a Bangladeshi national to life imprisonment and imposed a heavy fine after finding him guilty of smuggling narcotics into the Maldives.

The verdict was delivered after the defendant was found guilty of smuggling narcotics into the Maldives concealed inside a laptop bag.

This case involves a Bangladeshi national, MD Sohab, who arrived in the Maldives on a US-Bangla Airlines flight in 2024 and attempted to smuggle narcotics concealed inside a laptop bag. Upon his arrival, Customs officers discovered the illicit substances during a routine inspection of his luggage. He was subsequently taken into custody by the police, who have since launched an investigation into the matter.

In this case, the state has charged MD Sohab with the importation of a controlled substance listed in Schedule 1 of the Drugs Act.

Following the conclusion of proceedings at the Criminal Court, the presiding judge ruled that the charges against the defendant have been proven beyond a reasonable doubt based on the evidence presented. The court confirmed the conviction after a thorough review of the testimonies and evidence submitted in the case.

Consequently, under the Drug Act, the court has sentenced MD Sohab to life imprisonment, defined as 25 years, and imposed a fine of MVR 100,000. The verdict further stipulates that the fine must be paid in full to the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority within one year.