Arshad Khalid, alleged leader of drug network, released by Criminal Court

Arshad Khalid, a man arrested in relation to 9kgs of illicit drugs confiscated by Police on 31 January 2020, has been released from detention per an order issued by the Criminal Court.

Arshad had been arrested in an operation conducted by Police based on intelligence reports on 31 January last year. Five houses in Male' City had been searched in the operation, with over 9kgs of illicit substances and MVR 4.6 million seized by authorities.

Five people face charges of trafficking diamorphine in relation to this case, with Police alleging that Arshad Khalid is the leader of the group.

1. Arshad Khalid, GDh. Hoadehdhoo, Allora

2. Ali Zubair, GDh. Hoadehdhoo, Guleynuranmaage

3. Ahmed Sunain, GDh. Hoadehdhoo, Irumatheege

4. Hussain Zaheen, L. Kalhaidhoo, Matharesmaage

5. Aslam Nazim, K. Male', Violetmaage

A hearing was conducted for this case at the Criminal Court on Wednesday, where the court order to have these men remanded until the conclusion of criminal proceedings was presented for revision. The period of Arshad's detention was thus revised on Wednesday, with the Judge presiding over the hearing, Judge Adam Mohamed, deigning to release Arshad from detention/

In the operation conducted by Police in January last year which resulted in the charges against Arshad and his associates, nine homes had been searched from the Male' Area. Police confiscated 9kgs of heroin and more than 4g of cocaine, in addition to MVR 4.6 million seized from the locations.

On 24 January 2021, the Criminal Court reached another verdict to release the alleged leader of a drug network, Ahmed Visam, who also faced charges of trafficking diamorphine. The Prosecutor General's Office went on to appealed the order to the High Court, which granted the PGO their appeal and retracted the release order earlier in February.