Auditor General’s Office has reported that the Maldives Customs Service failed to collect MVR 477.9 million in revenue as of 2022, primarily from unpaid import duties and penalties.

According to the compliance audit of 2020–2022, unpaid dues continue to grow, with MVR 332.6 million remaining outstanding for over three years. The report also highlighted that MVR 77.2 million in penalties has not been collected.

Despite Customs following legal procedures to recover the funds, delays are attributed to pending court verdicts and unexecuted judgments. Between 2014 and 2019, significant amounts remained unpaid including MVR 141.2 million to four companies.

Additionally, MVR 36 million awarded under civil court rulings remains unrecovered. The audit noted that in 2019, the Attorney General’s Office did not pursue two cases worth MVR 1.9 million, leaving the amounts outstanding.

The report recommended stricter enforcement measures to ensure timely recovery of customs revenue.