Huge Gap in Vape Enforcement: MVR 723M Fine Record Nets Barely MVR 850K

Customs revealed that despite fining illegal vape importers over MVR 723 million, the State managed to collect only MVR 850,000 so far.

In response to questions submitted by the online news “Mihaaru” under the Right to Information Act, the agency stated yesterday that 232 people were fined for importing vapes between the date the ban took effect and the end of last July. The total value of these fines reached MVR 732.5 million.

The information shows that the largest fine to date was MVR 156 million imposed on an individual who imported 15,601 vapes.

Customs noted that only MVR 850,000 of the vape fines has been collected by the State, with reports indicating that several fine-related cases have also been submitted to court.

The largest number of vapes confiscated so far has been from individuals arriving in the Maldives from Malaysia.

Under amendments to the Tobacco Control Act, importing and using vapes was banned starting in November 2024, while the legal age for buying and selling tobacco in the Maldives was set at 21.

Importing vape devices or related products in violation of the law incurs a fine of MVR 50,000, along with an additional MVR 10,000 penalty for each electronic cigarette or vape brought into the country.

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