Customs canceled the registration of two bonded warehouses over 955 cases of cigarettes that went missing, seeking to recover MVR 67 million (US$ 4.3 million) in unpaid duties. Following the incident, Customs amended regulations to prohibit the operation of bonded warehouses in private residences. 

Five people were arrested in Addu Hithadhoo on suspicion of kidnapping a man and shaving half of his head. Police officers out on patrol found the 37-year-old victim tied to a joali and arrested the suspects – including a minor – as they tried to flee the scene.

A suspected case of sorcery in Thaa Vilufushi is under investigation, police told the media, after items were found dumped outside a café.

Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla met his Indian counterpart during an official visit to New Delhi. Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Om Birla, offered assistance to digitalise parliamentary processes.

President Muizzu inaugurated the “2025 Judicial Year.” In his remarks at the annual function, Chief Justice Muthasim Adnan underscored the commitment of the country’s 182 judges to dispense justice without fear or favour.

The tax authority collected MVR 3.3 billion in January, down seven percent from the same period last year, partly due to an extension of the deadline for corporate income tax payments.

The government will be forced to submit a supplementary budget after failing to save MVR 7.7 billion as planned, former finance minister Ibrahim Ameer predicted at a press briefing, criticising delays in reducing spending on pensions, subsidies and state-owned enterprises.