Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Dhiggaru MP Ahmed Nazim has alleged a major case of cigarette smuggling involving Exotic Enterprises, calling it a “well-planned crime” that has cost the state millions in lost revenue.

Speaking at a meeting of Parliament’s 241 Committee, Nazim said that the disappearance of cigarette cartons from two bonded warehouses only came to light after the company’s shares were transferred and the customs authorities were notified, prompting a recount of the stock.

The case is linked to the reported theft of 8,400 cartons of cigarettes transported via an oil tanker from Hawks to the boatyard jetty in Thilafushi. It is also being investigated alongside the suspicious movement of MVR 400 million through the bank accounts of several customs employees.

Nazim pointed out that the shares of Exotic Enterprises were transferred to two individuals who appeared to be “very ordinary people,” which he and other committee members suspect was a tactic used to shield more influential figures. The current registered shareholders of Exotic Enterprises are Mohammad Shareef and Abdul Ahad Adnan, with the transfer officially recorded on 14 January last year.

Nazim further alleged that the crime was committed while a prominent businessman had gone into hiding, adding that the state lost around MVR 67 million in unpaid duty and warned that recovering the money is unlikely.

The committee continues to investigate the matter, which has raised serious concerns over customs oversight and financial accountability.