Arif among 5 remanded pending trial over stolen 13 million cigarettes
Apollo shareholder Mohamed Waheed had earlier been remanded in custody in connection with the same case.
Five individuals, including businessman Ahmed Arif, have been remanded in custody pending trial in connection with the theft of two containers containing more than 13 million cigarettes from the Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) facility in Hulhumalé.
Nine people have been arrested over the incident, which involves two containers confiscated by Maldives Customs Service in April.
Those ordered to remain in custody on Thursday include Lotus owner Ahmed Arif, MIFCO General Manager Muaz Ali, Customs senior official Ziwar Ismail, MPL employee Ahmed Firshan, and boat captain Adam Waheed.
Apollo shareholder Mohamed Waheed had earlier been remanded in custody in connection with the same case.
The full list of suspects arrested in the theft includes:
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Mohamed Waheed, shareholder of Apollo company
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Ahmed Arif, owner of Lotus
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Muaz Ali, General Manager of MIFCO
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Ziwar Ismail, senior Customs official
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Hassan Abdul Rahman, employee of Apollo
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Adam Waheed, captain of the vessel used to transport the containers
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Ahmed Shaheem, MPL employee
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Hussain Samih, MPL employee
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Ahmed Firsan, MPL employee
According to Customs, the two 40-foot containers contained a total of 1,360 cases of cigarettes, equivalent to approximately 13.6 million sticks. Based on standard market prices, the unpaid duty on the shipment is estimated at MVR 122 million.
Authorities have noted that since late last year, the government’s increase in cigarette prices has coincided with a rise in the sale of counterfeit and smuggled cigarette brands.
