President Mohamed Muizzu has reinstated Mahmood Riyaz, one of the two Deputy Commissioners of Customs, who was unfairly sacked.
Riyaz and Abdulla Waheed, who served in the Customs for more than 30 years, were sacked on October 29 following a letter from the parliament.
They were dismissed without an investigation and without giving them an opportunity to respond to the allegations.
The Deputy Commissioners of Customs are appointed by the President. The President also has the power to dismiss them.
Muizzu has repeatedly said he will ensure the rule of law and will fulfil his duty as the head of state to establish justice and fairness.
A member of the parliament's Security Service Committee (241 Committee) said Muizzu urged the committee to recommend Riyaz's reinstatement.
Government Spokesperson Heena Waleed announced on November 8 that Riyaz had been reinstated following parliament's recommendation.
This came after the public expressed concern over the unfair dismissal of the long-serving official.
But the other officials remain dismissed or suspended as investigative agencies probe into the removal of cigarette cartons from a bonded warehouse.
The cigarette cartons connected to the case were illegally smuggled into the country on an oil tanker belonging to The Hawks company.
They were seized by Customs and kept in a bonded warehouse. However, the cigarettes were secretly removed from the warehouse.
Customs seized 8,475 cigarette cartons (84,000 cigarette packs or 1.695 million cigarette sticks). They were seized in October 2024.
The government increased the tax on tobacco and cigarettes from November 1, 2024. The tax was increased from MVR 3 per cigarette to MVR 8. The tax on other tobacco products has been increased by 50 percent.
Following the tax hike, counterfeit cigarettes have flooded the market, forming a large-scale black market among smokers. Various brands of cigarettes are now available at much cheaper rates.
