The Maldives Police Service has stated that it will not provide any opportunity to erode the public’s trust in the police institution. This statement was made in a press release regarding the case of 31 cartons of cigarettes that went missing from the Villimalé Police Station. In the statement, the police affirmed that the loss of items under the institution’s custody is unacceptable under any circumstances. They also stated that any act violating the service’s ethical standards and core principles will be investigated with high priority, and legal action will be pursued. Furthermore, the police statement noted that this incident is a clear contradiction of the ethics and diligent work ethic expected from police officers.
The police have given their assurance that all necessary measures will be taken to identify the individual or individuals involved and to take appropriate action. The police stated that the Maldives Police Service would not allow any employee to disgrace the institution or undermine the public’s trust in the police. They added that shaping all employees to be accountable, uphold integrity, remain steadfast, and provide sincere services to the public is the primary objective that always guides the institution’s work.
Disclosing information about the case, the police said that 32 cartons of cigarettes were taken into custody on suspicion of being illegally imported into the country. These items were confiscated from a foreigner on May 23rd of this year and were stored at the Villimalé Police Station. The police stated that an investigation is currently underway after it was discovered that 6 cartons from this batch were missing. The discrepancy was noticed on the 12th of this month when the items were being checked in preparation for handing them over to Customs, as per standard procedure.
The police also noted that while investigating this matter, it came to light that a similar incident had occurred previously. The Maldives Police Service confirmed that 25 cartons of cigarettes, which were taken into custody from two foreigners on December 23rd of last year, were also found to be missing. The police stated that a criminal investigation is ongoing in relation to both cases. They also added that the Professional Standards Command is looking into the related administrative issues.
