Maldivian Sentenced to 20 Years for Drug Smuggling in Vietnam
5 އޮކްޓޯބަރު 2026 | ހޯމަ 08:51A Vietnamese court has sentenced a 39-year-old Maldivian man to 20 years in prison for smuggling over 1.5 kilograms of narcotics into the country. The drugs, transported from Thailand, were discovered during a search at the airport, and the court further ordered that the individual be deported from Vietnam upon the completion of his prison term.
Mohamed Anil, 39, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison in connection with this case. | Khánh Hoà Newspaper Online
The People's Court of Vietnam's Khanh Hoa Province on Thursday sentenced a Maldivian national to 20 years in prison for the illegal smuggling of narcotics into the country.
In this case, 39-year-old Mohamed Anil has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. Furthermore, the court ordered that he be deported from Vietnam upon the completion of his prison sentence.
According to the indictment, during a routine baggage screening at Cam Ranh International Airport in Khanh Hoa Province on December 8, 2025, customs officers grew suspicious that Anil was concealing narcotics within both his checked luggage and carry-on bag.
Upon Anil's arrival in Vietnam on a flight from Bangkok, Thailand, customs officers detained him. During a joint search of his luggage conducted with relevant authorities, officials discovered numerous packets suspected of containing illicit drugs.
Tests conducted during the investigation of this case revealed that Anil had not personally consumed any illicit substances.
Investigations have revealed that on November 7, 2025, while at a hotel in Bangkok, an individual known as "Affu" tasked Anil with transporting six packets of narcotics from Thailand to Vietnam. However, investigators have yet to establish the true identity of "Affu" or determine his current whereabouts.
Afu, who resides in the Pattaya region of Thailand, informed Anil that someone would contact him to collect the items once he arrived in Vietnam.
Afu promised Anil a payment of $1,000 upon the successful delivery of these items to Vietnam. After providing an advance of $500 to cover meals and travel expenses, Afu packed the narcotics into Anil's luggage.
Anil was apprehended with the narcotics while undergoing immigration clearance at Cam Ranh International Airport following his arrival in Vietnam.
The total weight of the narcotics illegally transported by Anil is 1,545.6893 grams. This includes 1,067.2293 grams of mephedrone and 478.46 grams of alpha-PiHP.
In this case, the court sentenced Anil to 20 years in prison and ordered his deportation from Vietnam upon the completion of his sentence.
