State can retain undeclared gold worth a million, Supreme Court rules

Supreme Court maintains Civil Court's decision to allow the state to retain gold that was imported to Maldives without declaring it to customs. The gold imported was worth MVR 1.1 million.

An Indian citizen had imported gold bars weighing 1.7 kg in 2014 hidden in the pockets of his jacket and the trousers. As the gold was imported with no prior declarations, Maldives Customs Services pressed charges under the Customs Law to claim the gold for the state. Previously, both Civil Court and High Court had maintained the order for the state to claim the gold as well.