Customs suspends Ziwar over missing cigarettes case

Customs Superintendent Ziwar Ismail, one of the four people who were arrested in relation to the disappearance of 13.6 million cigarettes that were seized by customs in April last year and held at MPL Hulhumale' port, has been suspended.

Customs stated that the required steps are being taken regarding the investigation of the missing cigarettes.

Ziwar was accused and arrested for masterminding and running the operation of stealing more than 13.6 million cigarettes, with the Criminal Court sentencing him to 15 days in jail.

The 13.6 million cigarettes that went missing from the MPL Hulhumale' port were brought under Saudi Arabia’s Binladin Group's name in two 40-foot containers on 26th April 2024.

Three other individuals were arrested, with them being Apollo CEO Mohamed Waheed (Dhigali), Lotus owner Ahmed Arif (Aattey) and General Manager (Engineering Projects) at the Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) Muaz Ali.

MPL stated that even though employees who were involved have not been arrested yet, they have suspended six of their employees. Authorities have told the media two nights ago that 12 people have been placed under a travel ban due to the investigation.

Customs stated that the cigarettes were not destroyed at the time, as the investigation into their smuggling was still ongoing.

Customs found out that the 13.6 million cigarettes were missing from both containers on 8th October. The shipment consisted of 1,360 cigarette cases in two 40-foot containers, totaling 13,600,000 cigarettes.

This would amount to MVR 122 million in import duty for the state, as per customs.

The containers were initially found among a plywood shipment at the Hulhumale' International Terminal when customs had received information that there was an attempt to smuggle the cigarettes into the country.