Landlord imprisoned for allowing drug trade at rented apartment in landmark conviction

A landlord from Male’ was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Wednesday, after the Criminal Court found him guilty of allowing the use and peddling of narcotics in his property in Galolhu.

The sentence – issued by Judge Mohamed Misbah – marks the first time for someone to be successfully convicted of the offense in the country’s history.

The case dates back to a night-time police raid on January 20 on G. Pelican – a property owned by Ibrahim Naeem.

The raid led to the arrest of two men and the seizure of a large quantity of cannabis hidden in various locations on the ground floor, including the bathroom.

During his trial, Ibrahim Naeem told the court that the apartment in question was rented out, and pled ignorance.

However, the state presented evidence that Ibrahim Naeem was served with multiple notices by the police since 2020 over repeated drug offenses at the property.

The state also argued that Ibrahim Naeem had every opportunity to terminate the rent agreement due to the violation of its terms, but failed to take any action.

Meanwhile, the crime scene report established that the apartment lacked even a bare mattress to sleep on or any equipment that can be used for cooking or eating, and was furnished only with tables and chairs.

The court found Ibrahim Naeem guilty under Article 127 of the Drugs Act, and sentenced him to 10 years in prison.

Responding to the verdict, Ibrahim Naeem declared it “unfair” and that justice would be served on Judgement Day.

The introduction of charges to hold landlords accountable for drug offenses carried out at rented properties marked a shift in the approach to the fight against narcotics, and seeks to shut down multiple properties operating as “drug dens”, especially in the Maldivian capital.