A member of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), Mohamed Aiham, was arrested on Wednesday for attempting to smuggle cigarettes from a duty-free shop at Velana International Airport.

Police confirmed that the 23-year-old officer was apprehended in connection with the incident, which took place on Friday evening of the previous week. Following his arrest, Aiham was brought before the court, where a 10-day remand order was issued. Aiham was on duty at the airport when the smuggling attempt occurred.

In a separate case, two individuals, including a police officer, were arrested on Tuesday for smuggling cartons of cigarettes from the departure terminal at Velana International Airport without authorization. The arrested individuals were identified as Yoosuf Nazeer, a 38-year-old police officer, and Ahmed Afzal, a 45-year-old employee of the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL). Both were later released on bail on Thursday.

Following the arrest, the police announced that Yoosuf Nazeer had been suspended without pay, and an internal investigation was underway. The customs department had filed a complaint with the police after discovering cigarette cartons hidden in trash bags, which were being smuggled from the airport’s departure terminal.