Police have arrested five Bangladeshi nationals in Hulhumalé for allegedly collecting and selling used cooking oil from resorts, in violation of regulations set by the Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA).
According to authorities, the arrests were made during a late-night operation after police received intelligence about individuals unloading oil containers from a dinghy onto a pickup truck near the Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) Container Jetty area. Upon inspection of a vessel, a dinghy, and a pickup truck, officers discovered 46 containers of used cooking oil believed to have been sourced from resorts.
The suspects were taken into custody and presented before court for a detention hearing. The court released one suspect under specific conditions, while four others were remanded for 10 days. Those detained are identified as Al Amin Boyati (37), Dulal Miah (32), Mohammad Rasel Miah (34), and Manwar Hossain (45).
Police confirmed that the investigation is ongoing.
Under MFDA regulations, the reuse or resale of used cooking oil is strictly prohibited due to potential health and safety risks, including contamination and the formation of harmful compounds that can endanger consumers.
