The Maldives Police Service (MPS) has uncovered a fraudulent scheme within the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation following an investigation that was initiated after the theft of a Maldives Airports Company Ltd. (MACL) vehicle. The findings, which involve numerous future-dated vehicle registrations, were presented by Chief Superintendent of Police Mohamed Dawood during a press conference on Thursday.
Dawood disclosed that the Transport Ministry had registered vehicles for dates extending into 2025, 2026, and 2027. “Years we have yet to meet have been issued as registration dates of some vehicles,” Dawood said. The Ministry is collaborating with the police in the investigation, he added.
The investigation has led to the apprehension of Ahmed Nizam, 43, and Mohamed Haisham, 42, who are connected to the theft of the MACL vehicle assigned to the company’s managing director, police said. Notably, Haisham is an MACL employee. Furthermore, a garage belonging to Nizam was found to have 100 vehicles registered, with the majority in his spouse’s name and the rest in his own. The police have forwarded the case against Nizam and Haisham to the Prosecutor General’s Office.
The police are still investigating the involvement of Transport Ministry officials in illegal registration activities.