The Maldives Police Service has on Monday night seized three cases of alcohol from a vehicle in capital city Malé.

The car was searched after it arrived in Malé, having travelled on the Sinamalé Bridge, and at least three cases were removed from it.

It is unclear how many individuals were involved, although the BMW 'Z4' is a two-seater; RaajjeMV understands that the driver of the car is not its owner.

A number of plain-clothes officers were present at the scene.

Only tourism businesses are given liquor import licenses in the Maldives, and can only be sold to non-Maldivians.

The local penal code only outlaws the consumption of alcohol although possession liability can be subject to penalty.

Possession of alcohol is also a Hudud offence, a crime for which punishment is decided in Islamic sharia law. The penalty for possession under sharia is flogging.

In 2017, the then government had announced a stricter law to curb possession and sale of liquor, although this plan has not come to fruition.