Maldives police investigates multiple cases of fraudulent hotel bookings

Maldives Police Service (MPS) has begun to investigate cases of tourists being brought to the Maldives under fake bookings.

While the accommodation arrangements of the tourists arriving to the Maldives must be submitted to Maldives Immigration through their portal, the issues of many bookings being made to one place, committing fraudulent bookings and tourists having to quarantine in the homes of citizens have surfaced.

MPS’s media officer stated that the problems regarding fraudulent bookings have been reported and are currently under investigation.

It is believed that the issues are being looked into by the police's Economic Crime Department.

Since a lot of cases have been reported in regards to tourists violating Covid-19 protocols while in the island nation for holidays, the tourism ministry has now initiated a special inspection as well.

There are currently a total of 27 tourists, including children, under the authority of the government due to being brought to the Maldives under fraudulent bookings and the person behind this scheme has been arrested.

Furthermore, there was recently an issue of 189 Indians brought to Maldives being booked to the same four rooms in a guesthouse.