Maldivian man arrested over alcohol supply network in Malé

Police have arrested a 53-year-old Maldivian man suspected of leading an alcohol supply network following an operation in Malé that resulted in the seizure of 826 bottles of alcohol.

Police confirmed the arrest on Wednesday night, identifying the suspect in a Criminal Court order as Mohamed Rashwan Abbas, 53, of H. Karoge.

The arrest follows a police operation conducted on Monday at H. Maadhooge in Malé, where officers discovered 826 bottles of alcohol stored on the first and fifth floors of the building.

Three foreign nationals were initially arrested during the operation and subsequently remanded in custody for 15 days by the Criminal Court.

According to the court order issued on Wednesday, two of the foreign nationals arrested in connection with the seizure were employees working under Rashwan.

The order also indicated that Rashwan was the managing director of the office premises where the alcohol was stored.

Police suspect Rashwan of overseeing the network responsible for supplying the seized alcohol.

During the remand hearing, Rashwan denied the allegations against him and requested release on bail.

However, the Criminal Court ordered that he be remanded in custody for 15 days while the investigation continues.

The arrests bring the number of people detained in connection with the alcohol seizure to four, including three foreign nationals and one Maldivian.

Police have not disclosed further details about the suspected distribution network or the intended recipients of the alcohol.