Police are investigating an incident in which 168 bottles of alcohol were discovered last night in a car registered to Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik, on the same day controversial liquor licensing regulations were unveiled by the Ministry of Economic Development.
Sergeant Abdul Muhsin from the Maldives Police Service said four foreigners had been arrested over the incident, including three Sri Lankans and one Indian man. The investigation is ongoing, he noted.
Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair said he had spoken with police about the incident “and it looks like a set up.”
“Whoever brought that booze out from their warehouse knew it would be confiscated. The brands are not what you would call hot sellers – it was menthol gin and watered-down whiskey.”
Sergeant Muhsin identified the seized bottles as ‘King Roberts’ gin and ‘Muirhead’ whiskey.
Zuhair said he suspect the foreigners had been bribed “and were connected to certain political opponents of Moosa Manik, owing to the fact he is currently in Singapore.”
Adhil Saleem, State Minister for Economics Development, said he believed the incident to be “a very childish attack to damage [Moosa’s] reputation.”
“The same thing happened to me over the allegations I was found in a guest house with bottles of vodka and underage girls,” Adhil said. “This is another attempt to damage a political opponent.”
DRP Vice President Ibrahim Shareef said he was “not surprised” at the case, “but I doubt it will go very far.”
“There have been many similar incidents in the past,” he noted, “and in the worst case scenario Reeko’s driver will be implicated and that will be the end of the story.”
He said he “was sure” the incident was not a set up.
Vice President of the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Umar Naseer said the bottles were connected to Moosa and that last night people had witnessed the actions of “one of the six top drug dealers in the Maldives.”
”Of course the bottles were connected to Moosa,” Umar said. ”How could somebody drive or carry something in his car without his knowledge?”
MP of DRP coalition partner the People’s Alliance (PA) Abdul Azeez Jamal Abu Bakru claimed that Zuhair’s words were not trustworthy and that the bottles must have belonged to Reeko Moosa or someone close to him.
”Why would somebody put the bottles inside Moosa’s car and try and blame him for it while he is not even in the Maldives?” he said.
Azeez added that furthermore he had information that the bottles “were supplied to celebrate the new regulations allowing alcohol on inhabited islands.”
PA Secretary General Ahmed Shareef said he would not comment on the issue.
News of the find is believed to have fuelled additional protests last night over the liquor licensing regulations published by the Ministry of Economic Development. One protest outside Iskandhar Koshi police base was eventually subdued with tear gas.
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So whats the big deal here? Juha said its water down wiskey and its not hot selling. LOL, fellow is an expert on this...these foriegners must be taking those bottles to take a bath. Surely no hands of Moosa
But one thing...why Executive branch has to come out and comment and defend Reeko on this? If Juha commented on capacity of MDP spokesman then thats fine. OR am I wrong?
We the people will never know the real truth behind this alcohol find in Moosa Manik's car.There will always be conspiraiton theories in such incidents and the truth will never be known.It is not correct to make allegations one way or the other.Only Allah and the people behind this incident will know what really happened.Better not speculate and damage the reputation of those who may be innocent.
Yo Ho Ho And A Bottle Of Rum
Fifteen men on a dead man's chest
YO HO HO AND A BOTTLE OF RUM
Drink and the devil had done for the rest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.
The mate was fixed by the bosun's pike
The bosun brained with a marlinspike
And cookey's throat was marked belike
It had been gripped by fingers ten;
And there they lay, all good dead men
Like break o'day in a boozing ken.
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.
I cannot understand why Mr Robinson has to quote not one but two Vice Presidents of DRP and also get two people from PA to comment for this article.
Why hasn't there been a comment from Moosa's family? Or, Mr. Moosa himself?
Mr Moosa is not just MP Moosa. I believe he is the Parliamentary Group Leader (temporary) of MDP. I think he is also the Chair of the Association of Torture Victims.
Moosa has always been very vocal calling for justice for those tortured during Gayoom's regime.
One of those heavily tortured is the famous Historian Ahmed Shafeeq who has been on medication since he was tortured under police custody during Gayoom's regime.
Mr. Shafeeq was quoted by media ... that he kept records of nearly 111 people who he believes, disappeared during Qayoom's regime under police custody.
I read in news that he submitted a letter to Moosa asking him to get the Parliament to investigate the disappearances and the allegations of custodial deaths and extrajudicial beatings and rape, etc.
Why was the booze shown to media last night?
I have not seen or heard enough evidence to rule this out as not a set up. So far, all I see is a poorly scripted teledrama to distract attention from angry media barons counting and recounting their POINTS.
Why were there 168 bottles and not a few?
Because we all know that numbers create as much hype and sensation as possible.
This is more like the warm-up fanfare before The Theatre of the Absurd begins on First of March.
"Cheers to those MPS not with a hangover!"
Mr. Juha guarantees that any watered down whiskey smuggled out off warehouses will be caught? Of course its not suitable for an honorable MP to drink.If it was 12 year malt Chivas yes that would have been Reeko's stash. Juha do you know you sound exactly like Mundhoodh. Everyday that passes brings shame onto what Anni stood for and is working towards. Even now Mr.press secretary choose to comment and enforce his views into an ongoing police investigation where as Adil Saleem didn't even give the chance for an investigation. bravo keep it up.......
It may be a setup or it may be not we'll never know but I have less problems with someone who drinks alcohol over someone who steals public money and abuse their power to elavate his people above everyone else and crush the whole families of any opponents. Politics is all about choosing the least of the evils. And hands down MDP is far better than DRP if you take one-on-one the current leaderships or their policies.
this really is a setup, but it surely is the reality this not done by reeko moosa and he's just a plan simple person, but there are some people close to him who are alcoholics where by it makes easier to opposition agents and police officers who are connected with them to run these sorts of operations very timely, and if these people wants to keep the reputation of reeko moosa and MDP please get away with these in male for godsake, there are resorts where you guys can enjoy all these
This is undoubtedly the latest political drama played deliciously on Maldive TV channels!
Few points to consider before jumping to any conclusion:
First, the police behavior in this incident; cos in no other similar case was the vehicle's plate number or owner's name revealed, damaging an innocent persons reputation. This proves that there are still some elements in the security forces working against the current gov. Second, no media revealed last night that a foreigner was the person busted with the booz and the culprit of this offence, maybe the police left out that vital info purposely allowing the hype to get out of control giving room for opposition to operate last night. Third, all DRP activists and MP Nihan were spotted on the scene immediately as if they already knew that this event was unfolding, affirming that this was planned from the DRP top. And they strategically used this particular alcohol bust as a catalyst to start off the demonstrations; same tactic used to lead the protest infront of Defence and the Presidents residence, citing in the civil service rally a baseless story of a convict killed in prison by the police liking to the Evan Naseems murder case. Fourth, the convenient time that the event was staged, linking with the recent liquor permit granted to hotels. Fifth, the insolent propaganda which DhiTV was spinning last night and tonight, citing "Reeko Moosa, Reeko Moosa Manik's Car, Plate No:..., MDP Parliamentary Vaguthee Raees" in every three seconds in their breaking news, deliberately targeting to defile Moosa's reputation as he was lately found as a strong advocate voicing very openly against Media's (esp. DhiFM/DhiTV) irresponsibility, prejudice and bais in their news. And the funny thing is they purposely omitted that Moosa was out of Male' and in fact was in Singapore, and were not the least bothered to bring any comments from Moosa's family or relatives regarding this incident while TVM felt the need to air that info in tonight's news. Finally, the call to police reporting on the car moving around Male' with the loaded booz was made by Champa himself! Not a surprise since DhiFM received a disciplinary slap from the gov last week. (Inside info: that whole lot of booz was the low demand types that were stocked for months without sale)
It's interesting to see that the Maldivian media is just as much prone to sensationalizing trivial issues that should, ideally, be better placed on the pages of tabloids and clandestine websites.
The public, as judge and jury, will, already have delivered their verdict on Moosa "Reeko" Manik's culpability based on their respective political affiliations. I wonder if this incident will lead towards a courtroom drama as well. I can see the judges at the Criminal Court rubbing their hands with glee while sneering menacingly into the camera with a white persian cat resting comfortably on their laps, all against a backdrop of lightning flashing through the night sky.
it is important that we know the story from Reeko's side. if he is out of town and someone he knows asks for his car keys he would have given. keeping in mind my driver can ride my care if i am also out of country. I guess the same principle will work throught out the world. this might be a set or not. may be driver and other three people took for them to deal in Male'. Because we have a high demand for alchohol in this island alone. so this has to be something which has to be investigated and check more than twice. I doubt that Reeko would do such a silly thing as Umar Naseer said. After all he is one crazy guy in the town who have no IDEA of what he is doing.
why no check out the bonded warehouses or the resorts or where ever large amounts of alcohol is stored and find out the shortage. 168 bottles is not a small amount. definitely it has come out from one of those places. i am sure that finding the origin would not be a difficult task. if only the authorities concerned wants to find out. highly possible........
rather than dranmatizing the whole issue. actions are required......
what you see is just only the liquid or whatever the name it goes by (wine/liquor/....) and what we do not see is the spirit hidden ......?
so why judge or form an opinion on what we only see ( one will only see what one wishes to see )
case closed.. end of story tomorrow... and life goes on in the ......