Five expats arrested for allegedly selling used oil discarded by resorts

Five expatriates were arrested from Hulhumale’ on suspicion of selling used oil discarded by resorts in violation of directions by Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA).

Maldives Police Service reported that four expatriates were arrested in the early hours of Thursday morning during an operation conducted following a tip-off about oil containers being transferred from a dinghy to a pickup truck at the Hulhumalé MPL Container Jetty area.

According to the authority, 46 containers with used oil discarded by resorts were discovered during a search of a boat, a dinghy and a pickup connected to the suspects.

The Police identified the five suspects arrested in connection with the case as all Bangladeshi nationals.

Upon presentation before the court for remand hearings, one of them was granted conditional release, while the remaining four were remanded in custody for 10 days. They are: Al Ameen Boyati, 37, Zulaal Mia, 32, Mohammed Russel Mia 34 and Manvar Hossain, 45.

In October, MFDA, citing that they have received complaints over the preparation of food in oil discarded by resorts, warned that they will be taking legal action in such cases. There have been many previous cases of cafés and restaurants in Male’ using oil discarded by resorts in their food preparation.