The Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, has announced measures against 19 companies for breaching regulations related to the transportation of individuals for Umrah pilgrimage. 

According to the Minister, the actions were taken after it was found that these companies had violated established guidelines.

Minister Dr Shaheem stated that the companies were penalised due to infractions of the rules. However, the specific names of the companies involved have not been disclosed to the public. It was emphasised that the fines imposed took into account the scale of the violations.

The ministry had previously warned that companies failing to comply with the gazetted regulations for facilitating Umrah travel would face strict enforcement measures. As such, concern was raised over a company allegedly misusing its official license issued by the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA). This company is reported to have collected payments for Umrah trip arrangements but failed to deliver the promised services.

The ministry indicated that if the allegations against this company are substantiated through further investigation, it would face a fine of MVR 30,000, and its operational permissions would be suspended. Additionally, the case is expected to be referred to law enforcement agencies for a comprehensive inquiry.

The ministry’s recent enforcement actions followed complaints from Al-Hijra Travels and Tours Private Limited, which reported irregularities in December. The group revealed that payments made for travel arrangements were misappropriated, with the funds being used for purposes other than ticket bookings for pilgrims.