Customs intercepts illegal shipment of over two million cigarettes

Maldives Customs Service has intercepted an illegal shipment of over two million sticks of cigarettes smuggled into the country via sea.

According to Customs, the shipment was seized on Thursday from the Male’ Commercial Port.

Total 2,304,200 sticks of cigarettes were seized during the operation, said the agency.

Customs did not provide any other details, including the ship on which the cigarettes were smuggled into the country.

The agency also did not say if any arrests have been made in connection to the case.

ކަނޑުމަގުން ރާއްޖެއަށް ސިއްރުން އެތެރެކުރަން އުޅުނު 2,304,200 ސިނގިރޭޓު ސްޓިކްސް ކަސްޓަމްސްއިން އަތުލައިގެންފި. pic.twitter.com/RRj1ZQaUAk

— Maldives Customs Service (@CustomsMv) May 18, 2026

Maldives introduced amendments to the Tobacco Control Act in 2024, prohibiting the import of vaping devices and e-cigarettes in November, and expanding the restriction in December to cover the sale, free distribution, and use of such products.

The country has also doubled import duty and taxes on cigarettes, and a smoking ban on the post-2007 generation.

The anti-smoking measures has earned Maldives global recognition, with a World No-Tobacco Day Special Recognition Award from the World Health Organization (WHO) for President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, and a Integrity Award from the Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC) for the Maldives.

Despite the global recognition for the measures, the ban on vapes and the subsequent doubling of import duty on cigarettes has created an illegal market where vapes and cheaper brands of cigarettes are being smuggled in and sold in the Maldives. This has also resulted in the loss of millions of Rufiyaa in import revenue.