Parliament rejects MDP motion sounding alarm over 13M cigarette heist

The ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) on Wednesday used its supermajority in the Parliament to vote down an emergency motion submitted by the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) warning of larger national security implications over the theft of two containers of smuggled cigarettes from the Hulhumale’ port.

The two containers containing 13.6 million sticks of cigarettes smuggled into the Maldives were seized by Maldives Customs Service on April 26, and kept at the seaport in Hulhumale’, a facility managed by the Maldives Ports Limited (MPL). The theft of the cigarettes was discovered on October 8.

South Hithadhoo MP Ibrahim Nazil, the leader of MDP’s parliamentary group, submitted an emergency motion on Wednesday morning expressing concern over the case.

He said that the case has brought to light serious national security concerns that the Parliament needs to address.

Nazil said that the theft of two whole containers of cigarettes from the port is unacceptable, and involves gross negligence from Customs and MPL.

He said that the theft opens the possibility of similar cases, including ones involving the smuggling of more dangerous items, posing a serious threat to national security.

Nazil also expressed concern that only a small portion of cigarettes smuggled into the country get detected, and that the action taken in the few cases that catch the attention of authorities remain unsatisfactory.

He also said that the theft of the cigarette containers has also resulted in a loss of around MVR 100 million to the state in import duty and taxes.

Nazil said it is therefore crucial that the Parliament debate on this issue.

But when voting time came, the PNC used its supermajority to reject the motion with a majority vote of 42-34. The eight votes in favor of debating on the issue came from opposition lawmakers.

The theft of the two containers of cigarettes from the Hulhumale’ port is under investigation by the police.

On Tuesday, the police announced they have arrested four people believed to be ringleaders behind the heist; a high-ranking Customs official, a former Customs official, and two business magnates – Ahmed Arif (Aattey), the owner of Lotus, and Mohamed Waheed (Dhigali), the owner of Apollo Holdings.

The police have also imposed travel ban on 12 individuals and searched multiple vessels and other properties as they investigate the case.