Customs Seizes 6,328 Vape Cartridges in Malé Harbour Operation

Maldives Customs Service has seized 6,328 vape cartridges during a special operation at the Malé Commercial Harbour after the items were discovered concealed inside a sea-cargo shipment.

Customs said officers flagged a shipment declared as “general cargo” on Saturday after suspecting it contained prohibited items. A subsequent inspection found a large quantity of vape cartridges hidden inside the cargo.

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The seized items have been taken into Customs custody, and the case is currently under investigation.

The latest seizure follows several major vape-related confiscations carried out by Customs in recent weeks. On 19 June, officers seized 15,601 vape cartridges concealed in a shipment declared as “general cargo”, marking the largest vape seizure since the ban on the import of vapes and electronic cigarettes was introduced.

Earlier on 14 June, Customs confiscated 1,108 vape cartridges and 27 vape devices hidden inside potato chip cans and chocolate powder packets at the Malé Commercial Harbour. Another 5,600 vape cartridges were seized on Wednesday, bringing the total number of vape cartridges confiscated across three operations between 16 and 19 June to 22,309.

The import, sale and use of vapes and electronic cigarettes have been prohibited in the Maldives since 15 December 2023. The penalties include fines of MVR 10,000 for gifting a vape, MVR 5,000 for use, MVR 20,000 for selling, and MVR 10,000 per vape for importation.

Despite the increasing number of vape seizures, no public information has been released on enforcement action taken against individuals responsible for the recent cases.