Authorities have been ordered to repay MVR 1.1 million they confiscated during the arrests of two individuals on suspicion of drug trafficking.

The Criminal Court sentenced Ahuzaam Naeem and Mohamed Bishaar, both resident to capital city Malé, to 25 years in prison, and fines of MVR 100,000 each.

The sentence was appealed at the High Court, which ruled last December to release Ahuzaam based off of lack of evidence. Bishaar was released last week.

The court had noted how the chain of custody (CoC), the chronological documentation of control, transfer, and analysis of physical evidence, was broken and not adequately kept.

The large sum of money was confiscated in the police’s operation in 2013, having found MVR 52,300 on Ahuzaam’s person and USD 6633 at Bishaar’s home.

Ahuzaam’s legal representatives noted that he had been the manager of a local sports club, and such a sum being found on his person is not extraordinary or grounds for suspicion.

While the High Court’s ruling states that Ahuzaam had been the manager of T.C Sports Club, he had actually been employed by L.T Sports Club.

Bishaaru had provided evidence that he had legal businesses, through tax and other records, that makes it reasonable for him to possess the sum found in his home.