Maldives Customs Service has seized 99,000 cigarette sticks that were being smuggled into the country by sea. The cigarettes were intercepted at the Malé Commercial Harbour on 5 March during an operation targeting illegal imports. Customs stated that the seizure forms part of ongoing efforts to curb the smuggling of tobacco products into the Maldives.

Authorities also revealed that more than two million cigarette sticks have been seized in similar smuggling attempts over the past one and a half months, highlighting continued enforcement operations against illegal tobacco imports.