New measures to track imported pork and alcohol in Maldives

The Maldives Customs Service Tuesday announced new measures to track imported pork and alcohol products in the country, local media reported.

Commissioner General of Customs, Mohamed Junaid, told reporters that all vessels carrying pork and alcohol shipments will be tracked and monitored using satellite.

The aim is to ensure that pork and alcohol shipments end up in their approved locations.

It is a crime for Maldivians to consume pork or alcohol and such products are banned from inhabited islands. However, under a special permit, tourist resorts can offer these items to their foreign guests.

“We will know the resort to which the vessel has to transfer the goods. So we will know [through satellite tracking] if the vessel heads off or tries to head off to some other location,” Junaid said.

The new measure will help “somewhat control” the illegal smuggling of alcohol products, he added.

Customs also announced an increase of 42 percent in drugs confiscated by the agency while being smuggled in to the country.

Chief Superintendent Ismail Hamdhoon said 23 kilos of drugs had been confiscated so far this year, including 9.8 kilos of cannabis types and 8.9 kilos of heroin confiscated in 54 investigations.

Hamdhoon also said the amount of “party drugs” being confiscated has increased.