President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has reinstated Mahmood Riyaz, the Deputy Commissioner of Customs who was dismissed in connection with the case of cigarette cartons being illegally imported into the Maldives on an oil vessel belonging to The Hawks Private Limited, as well as the case of cigarette cartons being illegally removed from a bonded warehouse without the knowledge of Maldives Customs Service.

President Muizzu reinstated Riyaz's position following advice from the Parliament's Committee on National Security Services (241 Committee), which determined that Riyaz was not involved in the case.

In a post on X on the 29th of last month, the President had announced the dismissal of two Deputy Commissioners of Customs, Mahmood Riyaz and Abdullah Waheed, in connection with the case.

The President had dismissed Riyaz following an investigation by the 241 Committee into the Hawks case and the case of cigarettes being removed from the bonded warehouse, which resulted in a report submitted to the government with recommended actions.

In a post on X tonight, Spokesperson Heena Waleed said that after further investigation of Mahmood Riyaz's case, the 241 Committee concluded that Riyaz was not involved in the matter and advised the President to reinstate his position, which the President has now done.

The request to review Riyaz's dismissal was submitted to the committee by Galolhu North constituency Member of Parliament Mohamed Ibrahim.

In his letter to the committee, he stated that Riyaz had served Customs faithfully for 30 years. The letter requested a review of the case, noting that there was no negative record of Riyaz in any such matter throughout his long service.

In a press release issued today regarding the case, the 241 Committee stated that after further deliberation, they determined that there was no evidence of direct involvement by Customs Deputy Commissioner Mahmood Riyaz in the cases they investigated. Therefore, at a committee meeting held last Thursday, they decided to advise the President to reinstate his position, and this advice was conveyed to the President.

The report of the Parliament's Committee on National Security Services on this matter stated that due to negligence and ongoing corruption within Customs, the revenue that should be received by the state through Customs has been declining.

The case involving 8,400 cartons of cigarettes, or 84,000 packs of cigarettes, being unloaded at the boat yard jetty in Thilafushi from an oil vessel belonging to Hawks company, which conducts extensive fuel business in the Maldives, emerged in October of last year.

In a press release issued by Hawks regarding the matter, the company stated that it is a fuel trading company and does not engage in any tobacco business. The company said it had removed from work the employees who attempted to smuggle cigarettes.