Rough seas caused beer cans to spill into the sea: Customs

Maldives Customs Service has stated that the large quantities of beer cans being discovered in the ocean near Male’ is due to a recent incident where rough seas had caused a supply vessel to tilt, causing the cans to spill into the sea.

The shipment of beer cases was being transported from Male’ Commercial Harbour to a bonded warehouse Hulhule’.

Police said that over 14,000 cans of beer have been collected from the sea near Male’ since yesterday.

Maldives Customs Service released a statement today detailing the incident, which stated that the incident occurred after a supply vessel carrying a large shipment of beer, which had undergone due clearance by the Customs in Male’, had faced rough seas, causing the vessel to tilt and spill a large portion of shipment into the sea.

The statement said that the shipment was being transported to be bonded in a warehouse in Hulhule’ and it was brought into the country by a party that held the proper permits to import alcoholic products. The shipment was destined for a tourist resort.

The statement said the Customs Officer escorting the goods had counted the stock had promptly informed the police that 800 cases (19,200 cans) of beer had been lost during the incident. Customs said that efforts to recover the beer cans are still ongoing.