Woman who smuggled MVR 15 million worth of cocaine remanded by two days

The Brazilian national who smuggled MVR 15 million worth of cocaine in to the Maldives has received two days of remand.

Maldives Customs Service said that the luggage of a 31-year-old Brazilian woman was searched due to her suspicious behaviour on Friday evening to find a large quantity of suspected drugs.

The 3.1 kg of the suspected drugs tested positive for cocaine and the amount of drugs has a street value of MVR 15,985,000 according to Customs.

She had a court hearing yesterday where Judge Adam Mohamed remanded her with two days with the court order stating that it is to find a translator as she does not understand the English language.

At the hearing was held virtually since she had not tested for COVID-19, Maldives Police Service said that she only understands Portuguese and Spanish and the Police read the legal statement to her via Google translate.

Police said that there were challenges to a virtual remand hearing being carried out via Google translate.

And so, close to 24 hours of detention, a remand hearing was held in the absence of a translator and given two days to find one.

The Judge advised the Police to get a translator for the next hearing.