A 31-year-old Maldivian man has been sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison and fined MVR 100,000 after being found guilty of trafficking cannabis.

The individual, identified as Hamdhoon Ahmed of Male’, was arrested on 7 February 2024 following a police operation based on intelligence indicating drug-related activities at his residence.

Officers searched the apartment and recovered 208 grams of cannabis.

According to the Criminal Court, Hamdhoon was initially charged with drug use, possession, and trafficking.

While he first denied the charges, he later entered into a plea agreement during the trial proceedings, admitting to the trafficking offence.

The agreement was submitted by the Prosecutor General’s Office in March last year.

The court handed down a sentence of 12 years and six months, after accounting for time already spent in detention amounting to over two years, he is required to serve the remaining nine years, 10 months, and 12 days.