Maldivian police have arrested a key figure suspected of orchestrating a major illegal alcohol distribution network in Malé, detaining 53-year-old Mohamed Rashwan Abbas alongside three foreign nationals and seizing 826 bottles of liquor in a series of raids.
Police arrested the Maldivian resident under a court order on October 13, suspecting him of playing a central role in driving the network’s illicit supply chain. Following his court appearance the next day, a judge remanded Abbas in custody for 15 days as investigations into the operation continue.
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The operation was conducted jointly by the Counter-Narcotics Intelligence Unit and the Drug Enforcement Department (DED) of the Maldives Police Service. Police targeted a residence in the Henveiru ward of Malé alongside several connected locations utilised by the network to store and distribute illegal alcohol across the capital.
Three Bangladeshi nationals were also arrested on 12 October in connection with the distribution ring. Following their court appearance, 25-year-old MD Rakib Hossain was remanded in custody for 15 days, while 34-year-old Al Amin and 43-year-old Polin were each remanded for five days.
The Maldives Police Service confirmed that investigations into the network’s broader connections and distribution channels remain ongoing.
