Group caught attempting to smuggle MVR 3.86M in cereal packets receive 30-day extension to remand

Authorities seize over MVR 3.86 million in foreign currency hidden inside cereal packets from the Velana International Airport on September 18, 2026. (Photo/Maldives Police Service)

The Criminal Court on Tuesday ordered a 30-day extension to the remand of a group of Bangladeshi workers arrested from the Velana International Airport (VIA) earlier this month for allegedly attempting to leave the country with over MVR 3.86 million in foreign currency hidden inside cereal packets.

The six Bangladeshi men were arrested from the airport on September 18, as they attempted to board a plane to Dhaka, with wads of cash hidden inside Ye Ye cereal packets.

They are:

MD Mohidheen Chaudhary, 28
Rajib, 31
Ajgoru Miridha, 37
MD Shahin Miah, 46
Mohamed Mainudheen Salah, 35
Mohamed Abdulla, 38

They were arrested with MVR 3,861,415.29 in currency from 18 different countries. This includes $ 174,161 (US dollar), € 56,760 (Euros) and £ 1,815 (British Pound).

The Criminal Court had initially remanded all six into police custody for 10 days on September 19, and extended it on Tuesday by another 30 days.

All six are accused of money laundering.

According to police, the six were made in an operation based a tip received by the joint taskforce established in the crackdown on illegal trade of foreign currency.

At a press briefing on September 14, Home Minister Ali Ihusan said that authorities were aware of cases were expatriates were operating corner stores as illegal US dollar exchangers with the aid of Maldivians.

He added that the authorities were investigating 12 expatriates believed to be involved in large-scale exchange of USD exchange in the black market.

The recently launched crackdown on illegal foreign currency trade includes amendments to the Foreign Currency Act prohibiting the advertisement or promotion of foreign exchange at rates exceeding those officially determined by the central bank.

The disclosure, publication, or dissemination of black-market exchange rates through digital platforms or any other medium is now punishable with fines of up to MVR 500,000 for individual offenders and up to MVR 5 million for legal entities or registered businesses.