Islamic Ministry has taken action against 19 companies for breaking regulations related to ferrying pilgrims for Umrah.

Islamic Minister Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed announced on Tuesday that these companies have been fined MVR 5,000 each for violating the rules.

The minister revealed that one company was found using an official licence from the ministry to obtain USD from the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) but failed to carry out Umrah trips as promised. If further investigation confirms wrongdoing, the company could face a fine of MVR 30,000, have its licence revoked, and be referred to the police for further action.

It has been alleged that the company submitted fake tickets and documents to obtain USD, which is a serious violation. The case will be forwarded to the police for investigation.

This is not the first time companies have been penalised for violating rules related to Umrah transportation.