Four men, including three well-known figures from the Maldivian film industry, have been remanded in custody for 15 days following their arrest during a police drug operation in Vilimalé.
The suspects have been identified as actors Ahmed Azmeel, popularly known as Azey, Ismail Jumaih, known as Juma, and Mohamed Vishal, known as Roman, along with Azmeel’s younger brother, Shahil Mohamed.
All four were arrested on Thursday during an operation at a residence in Vilimalé, where police reported discovering suspected illegal drugs inside a room occupied by the men.
They were presented before the Criminal Court on Friday, with police seeking their continued detention while investigations into suspected drug use, possession, peddling and trafficking remain underway.
The court ordered all four suspects to remain in custody for 15 days after reviewing evidence submitted by investigators.
According to details recorded in the remand orders, police officers who attended the scene provided statements describing the circumstances surrounding the arrests and the discovery of suspected narcotics.
Investigators told the court that the room in which the suspects were located had been locked when officers arrived, requiring police to force their way inside.
Upon entering, officers reportedly found suspected illegal drugs lying in plain view on a table.
The investigating team also presented preliminary findings concerning the quantity of substances recovered from the location.
According to the officers’ statements, the initial weight of the seized material was sufficient to meet the legal threshold associated with drug trafficking.
The classification remains an allegation at this stage, with the nature and quantity of the substances subject to the ongoing investigation and any subsequent court proceedings.
Another significant detail presented during the remand hearing concerned drug screening results for two of the suspects.
The investigating officer informed the court that Jumaih and Vishal had tested positive for three substances: methamphetamine, cathinone and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Methamphetamine is a powerful stimulant, while cathinone belongs to a group of stimulant substances. THC is the principal psychoactive compound found in cannabis.
The reported test results were among the findings submitted during the hearing. They do not, by themselves, establish guilt on the broader allegations of drug possession, peddling or trafficking.
The remand orders also referred to previous encounters with law enforcement involving three of the suspects.
According to the information presented to the court, Azmeel, Vishal and Shahil had previously been arrested or detained in connection with drug-related matters.
Jumaih was the only suspect among the four for whom no such previous arrest record was noted in the remand proceedings.
Previous arrests do not necessarily indicate convictions, and the current allegations against all four suspects remain subject to investigation and judicial determination.
The case has attracted attention because of the involvement of recognisable personalities from the Maldivian entertainment industry.
Azmeel, Jumaih and Vishal are known for their involvement in local film productions, making their arrests a prominent development within the country’s entertainment community.
The investigation also comes amid changes to the Maldives’ legal framework for dealing with serious drug offences.
The government has introduced amendments to the Drugs Act aimed at imposing tougher penalties for major trafficking offences.
Under the amended provisions described by the authorities, individuals convicted of qualifying drug trafficking offences face life imprisonment extending until death, replacing the previous fixed 25-year imprisonment limit.
The changes also restrict sentence reductions, pardons and parole for offenders convicted under the relevant serious trafficking provisions.
However, the applicability of those penalties in any individual case depends on the charges brought, the relevant legal provisions and a conviction by the court.
For the four suspects arrested in Vilimalé, no conviction has been reported, and the 15-day remand order concerns their detention while the investigation continues.
Police are expected to continue examining the substances recovered from the premises, the circumstances of their possession and any evidence relevant to the suspected trafficking allegations.
The case remains under investigation.
