Villa's staff start protesting against probe on resorts

Staff at Villa Group’s resorts have begun protesting against the continued raids on the resorts.

Maldives Customs Service, with the assistance of Maldives Police Service (MPS) raided Villa Group’s five resorts on Wednesday night, claiming that liquor licensed to one of its resorts, from the Customs Bonded Warehouse was being distributed to other resorts associated with it. The five resorts searched are; Sun Island Resort, Paradise Island Resort, Holiday Island Resort, Royal Island Resort and Fun Island Resort.

Officers have confiscated a number of alcohol cases from Fun Island, and its staff have been protesting since.

Villa Group’s general manager Qaisar Naseem said that protests were held at Paradise Island and Sun Island this afternoon, and that employees at Holiday Island and Royal Island will begin later.

He said that the government is working to shut them down, adding that “if not, they would not have confiscated the legally obtained liquor”.

Noting that authorities have now revoked the liquor license to Royal Island, Naseem said that this will have a negative effect on the resorts and force them to shut down.

While the staff have begun protesting the raids, there still are a number of tourists on the islands.

Following Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) freezing Villa’s accounts, Customs stop distributing alcohol to the four other resorts, and liquor and pork have since been distributed to the other resorts through Royal Island.

While Customs has said that only it is allowed to distribute alcohol, Villa’s attorneys argue companies that receive alcohol from Customs are also allowed to distribute to other companies which have liquor licenses.

Lawyer Safa Shareef said that Custom’s allegations against them are unlawful and that they had followed all rules and regulations in taking the beverages from Royal Island Resort to other resorts.