Expat involved in illegal sale of alcohol to be deported

An expatriate arrested for illegal possession and sale of alcohol, in addition to its consumption,n is to be deported.

Maldives Police Service identified the expatriate as 44-year-old Bangladeshi national Sofigul Islam.

According to the authority, Islam was stopped and searched on Male’ roads last Wednesday during a joint operation carried out by Counter Narcotic Intelligence and Drug Enforcement Department. The Police said his residence was also searched, where they discovered 18 bottles of alcohol. 

Islam has been handed over to Maldives Immigration for deportation, added the Police.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, in his presidential address at the inaugural sitting of the Parliament this year, cited the issue of drugs as the biggest obstruction to developing Maldives’ economy.

As part of efforts to combat this, he detailed that arrangements have been made to deport expatriates arrested for using or selling drugs or alcohol within 24 hours.