Pork and booze pile destroyed

Almost 90,000 bottles of liquor and more than 3,000 kilos of pork products have been destroyed by Maldives Customs.

The sale of alcohol and pork is prohibited in inhabited islands as the consumption of alcohol and pork is forbidden in Islam. However, both liquor and pork are imported to the Maldives for tourist resorts.

The piles of pork and booze crushed by a digger Tuesday were from a bonded warehouse and had either expired or were damaged.

Police spokesman Senior Superintendent Ahmed Niyaz told the Maldives Independent that bond operators have to pay a duty for the expired or damaged items, which are then destroyed in the presence of customs officials and the media at the waste management system on Thilafushi island.

“Customs monitor crushing bottles, cans and pork with a crane to the extent where it can no longer be used. The remains are handed to waste management officials for disposal,” he said.

“Disposed items included 89,353 bottles of liquor,1108 cans of beer and 3411 kg of pork products which were confiscated under the Customs General Regulation Article 269, 423 and 424,” a Customs statement said.