Five people were injured, four of them seriously, when a stolen motorcycle carrying three people and travelling the wrong way down a one-way road at high speed collided with another motorcycle on Hulhumalé's Nirolhu Magu at about 3am on Wednesday, police said. The rider had no licence, according to police. Two cousins on the other motorcycle are in intensive care at IGMH, one undergoing emergency surgery for bleeding on the brain. Their family said they were riding lawfully and expressed concern that police were treating the case as an ordinary accident. and Mihaaru reported that he had been fined nearly MVR100,000 for traffic violations and arrested several times for theft and scams.
Two Maldivian men were arrested in Bangkok with 2.37kg of crystal meth hidden inside stainless steel tumblers and about 10 kilos of cannabis wrapped in children's clothing, packed in parcels awaiting shipment, Thai media reported. Thai police identified them as Ali Rashid, 46, and Mohamed Wisam, 34. Police were alerted after a cargo service in Pratunam refused the parcels because of a strong smell, and later found them stored beneath a dormitory in Ratchathewi. Both men were charged with jointly possessing crystal meth with intent to sell. They denied the charges, telling police a friend had asked them to send the parcels. Police are investigating possible links to a transnational trafficking network. Maldives police previously named Wisam as one of the main suspects in a 2020 case in which 72kg of heroin were smuggled into the Maldives on a dhoni, but the Criminal Court dismissed the charges against him for insufficient evidence.
Eagle Hills chairman Mohamed Alabbar arrived in the Maldives to brief cabinet ministers and ruling party MPs on the Rasmalé project, Adhadhu reported, citing sources. The briefings were scheduled for Thursday at the DusitD2 resort on Feydhoo Finolhu, with MPs briefed in the afternoon and ministers in the evening, and Eagle Hills covering all costs.
A launch and a dhoni collided off Vilimalé this afternoon, leaving the launch's captain and a crew member with minor injuries. Both vessels sustained damage. Police are investigating.
The 109-year prison sentence handed to Hussain Shifau, who was convicted on 23 charges related to fraudulent telegraphic transfers and money laundering and fined MVR7 million (US$ 454,294), was appealed at the High Court. Former Supreme Court Justice Husnu Suood was among Shifau's defence lawyers. He argued that the sentence was effectively unenforceable and had resulted from an incorrect application of the criminal procedures code and asked the High Court to order resentencing. Shifau was moved to house arrest on medical grounds earlier this week.
Malé City Council decided to give the fisheries ministry three months to address the capital’s stray cat problem, after which it will seek control of the Olhu Hiyaa cat facility if the issue remains unresolved. Councillors raised concerns over poor conditions and inadequate treatment at the facility, as well as the growing number of stray cats and associated public health and cleanliness issues in Malé.
The fisheries ministry opened nominations for this year’s Fishermen’s Awards, introducing a dedicated award for female fishers for the first time. Awards will also recognise young fishers under 35, experienced fishers over 35 and reef fishers, with nominations open until October 29 ahead of Fishermen’s Day on December 10.
