Five arrested for unpermitted alcohol trade on safari

Five people – a Maldivian and four expats – have been arrested for alleged unpermitted sale of alcohol on a safari docked at Hulhumale’ lagoon.

The five people arrested during an operation conducted based on a tip received to the Police’s Counter Narcotics Intelligence have been identified as:

• 35-year-old Bangladeshi national Russel Mia
• 34-year-old Indian national MD Shekar Hossain
• 27-year-old Sri Lankan national Pubudu Asela Bandara Dolosba Gedara
• 35-year-old Sri Lankan national Tharaka Saman Kumaradeva
• 52-year-old Maldivian national Mohamed Manil from H. Binmathiaage

According to the Police, 102 bottles of alcohol and 218 beer cans were discovered during the search of a safari dicked at Hulhumale’ lagoon.

When the suspects were presented before the court, Manik was remanded in custody for three days, Russel Mia and Shekar Hossain for five days and the Sri Lankan nationals for seven days.

Notably, illegal business activities by expatriates in the Maldives have significantly surged with many expatriates conducting such businesses on permits obtained by Maldivians.

The government has stepped up efforts to address the issue, including conducting regular raids on suspected establishments. The current administration aims to resolve the Maldives’ long-standing problem of undocumented migrants within the first three years of its term.