Cigarette heist: Last three suspects arrested identified as MPL staff

The last three suspects arrested on suspicion of aiding in the theft of 13.6 million cigarettes have been identified as Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) employees.

Maldives Police Service, on Saturday night, identified the three suspects most recently arrested in connection with the heist as:

• Ahmed Shameem, 42, Nooraleege, HDh. Vaikaradhoo  
• Ahmed Firushan, 35, H. Romania, Male' City   
• Hussain Samih, 35, Chaandhanee, Addu City’s Hithadhoo

Sun has learned that the three MPL staff are suspected of significantly aiding in the heist. While Firushan was remanded for five days, Shameem and Samih were remanded for seven days.

With their arrests, the total number of suspects arrested in connection with the heist has climbed to nine.

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 Hulhumale’ seaport, managed by Maldives Ports Limited (MPL). The theft of the cigarettes was discovered on October 8.

The first four suspects were arrested earlier on October 14, including two prominent businessmen believed to have financed the heist:

• Ahmed Arif (Aattey), 61, owner of Lotus  
• Mohamed Waheed (Dhigali), 65, owner of Apollo Holdings  
• Zivar Ismail, 40, senior Customs official  
• Muaz Ali, 48, former Customs official and current general manager at Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO)

The fifth suspect and sixth suspects were arrested last week; Hassan Abdul Rahman, 52, from Link, K. Thulusdhoo and Adam Waheed, 57, Kenereege, N. Milandhoo, who is believed to be the captain of the boat that transported the stolen containers.

Police have also issued travel bans on 12 individuals, though their identities have not been disclosed.