Customs seizes over 1.8 million smuggled cigarettes from Hithadhoo Port

Maldives Customs has confirmed that nearly 1.8 million cigarette sticks were seized from a shipment at the Hithadhoo Commercial Port in Addu City today.

“These items were seized during a search of a shipment of cigarettes smuggled into Maldives by sea via the Hithadhoo Commercial Port in Addu. The value of these items is estimated to be around MVR 15 million,” Customs said in a statement.

No further details have been released, as the matter is currently under investigation. The identities of the individuals or parties involved remain unknown, and it is still unclear where the shipment originated from.

According to Customs, the shipment contained a total of 1,840,000 cigarette sticks, which equates to 92,000 boxes of cigarettes.

Since the government increased duties on cigarettes and other tobacco products, there has been a noticeable decline in legal cigarette imports into the Maldives compared to previous years.

According to data obtained by Mihaaru News on the 25th of last month under the Right to Information Act, 42,314,387 cigarettes were imported into the Maldives between January and July this year.

In comparison, 356.7 million cigarettes were imported in 2022, with a CFI (Cost, Freight, and Insurance) value of MVR 251.8 million. In 2023, imports slightly declined to 350,037,124 cigarettes, with a total CFI value of MVR 265.9 million in 2023.

The decline in legal imports is believed to be partly due to a rise in cigarette smuggling..