Four expats detained over sale of used cooking oil

Four expatriates have been detained in Hulhumale' last night over the sale of used cooking oil discarded from resorts. 

Police said that they had initially arrested five Bangladeshi individuals in an operation carried out after receiving intelligence reports that oil jerrycans were being unloaded from a dinghy at the MPL container jetty area and transferred to a pickup. 

However, when taken to court for their remand hearing, one individual had been released. The remaining four were placed in remand in custody for ten days.

The four men who have been detained have been identified as;

- Al Amin Boyati

- Dulal Miah

- Mohamed Rasel Miah

- Manvar Hosein

Police said that a subsequent search of the boat, dinghy and pickup involved had led to the discovery of 46 jerrycans of used cooking oil. 

There has been persistent public concerns that used cooking oil discarded from resorts have been used in food preparation in local cafe's and restaurants. 

The Maldives Food and Drug Authority has even recently released a statement warning that such discarded oil may have traces of non-halal food, and cautioned that it is not safe for use in food preparation.