The Criminal Court has sentenced a woman to one year in prison after she was arrested in 2009 with 90 bottles of vodka. Alcohol is banned on inhabited islands in the Maldives.
The court identified the woman as Niuma Abdulhannan of Maamigili in South Ari Atoll.
On May 12 in 2009, police were informed that illegal narcotics were being traded inside the Kerinlight house in the Maafannu ward of Male’. Police attended the house and searched the room in which Niuma was living, the Criminal Court said.
The Criminal Court said that during the search, police discovered 90 bottles of vodka hidden in different places around the room.
The court said that the bottles were confiscated and tested positive for alcohol. Niuma was not able to convince the court that the alcohol bottles were legally imported and possessed according to the Trade Ministry’s regulations on importing alcohol.
The Criminal Court said the judge found her guilty of importing an item on the list of contraband. As it was the first time she was found guilty of such a crime, she was sentenced to one year imprisonment.
Alcohol is not mentioned in the current Drug Act, and the only Act that currently prohibits alcohol is the Import-Export Act.
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