Police asked to probe 1.8M cigarette seizure as money laundering case
The case was initially treated as a smuggling offence. The passport was seized during the early stage of the investigation.
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The Prosecutor General’s Office has advised the Maldives Police Service to investigate the seizure of 1.8 million contraband cigarettes at Addu Port for potential money laundering offences.
The shipment, with an estimated customs duty of MVR 15 million, was seized by Maldives Customs Service in September last year.
According to documents, the container was imported under the name of Neso Home Private Limited. The shipment included 368 boxes containing ‘Manchester’ brand cigarette cartons, totalling 1.8 million sticks.
No arrests have been made in connection with the case.
The passport of Ahmed Hassan Didi, 53, Managing Director of Neso Home and a resident of Jamburoolumaage, S. Hithadhoo, has been withheld as part of the investigation.
The case was initially treated as a smuggling offence. The passport was seized during the early stage of the investigation.
Following a prosecution review, the Prosecutor General’s Office issued legal advice last Thursday. In a letter signed by Assistant Prosecutor General Hussain Saamee and addressed to Deputy Commissioner Farhad Fikury, the office stated that there are indications of possible money laundering offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism Act.
The office advised that the investigation be conducted jointly by the Police and Customs and requested that the case be submitted for prosecution upon completion.
Public Prosecutor and spokesperson for the Prosecutor General’s Office, Ahmed Shafeeu, confirmed that the office had advised pursuing the case as a money laundering investigation.
Attempts to obtain a comment from Ahmed Hassan Didi were unsuccessful.
