Police re-announce auction for sea cucumbers valued at two million Rufiyaa, amid allegations of police embezzlement
Police have re-announced the auction of seized sea cucumbers valued at two million Rufiyaa, despite the case currently being under appeal in the High Court. Following Wednesday's announcement, the items are being offered at rates between 300 and 850 Rufiyaa per kilogram, while the original owner alleges that the authorities are attempting to fraudulently sell the confiscated goods instead of returning them.
The bags of sea cucumbers are being transported to Dhoonidhoo under police custody. | RaajjeMV | Raajje MV
The police have once again announced an auction for sea cucumbers valued at two million Rufiyaa, following allegations of embezzlement involving the seized goods.
The initial announcement to auction the sacks of sea cucumbers was made on the 9th of this month, under the premise that the owner of the goods could not be identified. While a second announcement has now been issued for the auction, the matter has also been brought before the High Court. The case filed with the High Court is an appeal regarding an interlocutory injunction previously issued by a lower court concerning this matter.
This case involves a lawsuit filed by a resident of Fuvahmulah against the police.
While the case was still pending in court, the police on Wednesday announced the sale of the seized sea cucumbers at prices ranging from 300 to 850 MVR per kilogram. The sale includes four different species of sea cucumber.
Police have stated that registration for the auction must be completed before 10:00 AM on March 8, 2026. The auction is scheduled to take place in Dhoonidhoo at 10:00 AM on March 9, 2026.
Furthermore, police stated that the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources has confirmed these items are prohibited for export from the Maldives.
While the criminal investigation into the case reported to the police on December 31, 2025, remains ongoing, an investigating officer assigned to the matter was relieved of their duties on February 12, 2026.
The sea cucumber embezzlement case came to light on December 29, 2025, after the items were fraudulently relocated to another site without the owner's knowledge. Following a court-authorized search, police seized the items, which had been transported from Thilafushi to Male' and stored in two separate residences.
The owner of the property has accused the police of intentionally withholding sea cucumbers valued at MVR 2 million, which were allegedly stolen by a police officer, rather than returning them to their rightful owner.
