New Details Emerge in Arrest of MP's Son for Drug and Alcohol Charges in Maldives

The recent arrest of Ahmed Thoiban Mohamed, the son of West Maafannu Member of Parliament Mohamed Falaah, has taken a new turn with the release of further details by the Maldives Police Service. Thoiban was arrested on Monday, February 20th, 2023 on suspicion of dealing drugs and selling alcohol, and was taken to the criminal court the following day, where he was ordered to be detained for three days.

Now, new information has emerged that Thoiban was arrested in a room with a Bangladeshi man, Alam Buiyan, and both were under the influence of alcohol and THC. Police found 24 bottles of beer in the room, as well as other drugs. Buiyan has been remanded for 15 days, while Thoiban was only given a three-day detention.

This is not the first time that Thoiban has been arrested by the Maldives Police Service. In July of 2022, he was apprehended for being heavily intoxicated and challenging officers during an incident in which he threatened them and claimed to be a British national, despite not holding British citizenship.

During the previous arrest, officers reported that Thoiban had threatened action against every MPS officer who arrested him and warned that his father was an MP from the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and that he was above the law. Despite the threats, Thoiban was arrested and taken to the Galolhu Police station. However, shortly thereafter, Hassan Hameed, MPS' Civil Legal Director, arrived at the station and, according to reports, was exceedingly submissive towards Thoiban. Thoiban was subsequently released under Hameed's care.

The handling of Thoiban's previous arrest by the Maldives Police Service has drawn criticism and raised questions about possible preferential treatment. The current arrest and the new information released by police highlight the ongoing struggle of the Maldives against drug trafficking and other illegal activities.

As of the time of writing, no further information has been released regarding Thoiban's case or any possible legal proceedings.