Barren marketplaces following expat deportations

Local marketplaces in Greater Male’ area have become barren after Maldives Immigration began arresting, and subsequently deporting illegal immigrants.

While most marketplace slots are operated by expat vendors, the numbers dropped after Immigration and Maldives Police Service recently began a series of raids.

A local vendor, while speaking with ‘Sun’ said that the marketplace in Ameenee Magu has observed less activity since the recent crackdown began.

“Most of these slots are operated by expatriates, but after [authorities] began arresting illegal workers, they started closing these places,” the local vendor spoke.

The vendor further said that the main local market or ‘travelers’ market’ saw similar drop of expat activities when Immigration’s raid began with stalls running out of goods, but added the activities are now resurging.

“There was a supply shortage due to rain and bad weather back then. Items like banana completely ran out, but things are turning up again,” they added.

Most of the travelers’ market stalls are now operated by locals including the slots previously run by expats.

“But there are still a few operated by expats,” they added.

Locals often rent market slots and operate them by employing foreigners. However, several expatriates operating businesses illegally were recently arrested and subsequently deported as well.

Illegal immigration and expatriates operating businesses illegally have been prevalent concerns, which had not been addressed for years.

During an earlier raid on June 29, local authorities raided four market places in Male’ City and detained 83 expatriates suspected of either being illegal immigrants or running businesses illegally. Immigration promised these individuals will be deported back home.

Earlier on July 4, the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade announced it was officially restricting the involvement of expatriates as owners or proprietors of multiple business activities.