Parliament passed an extraordinary motion today (April 2) expressing concern that cabinet ministers’ connections to the Artur brothers posed a “direct threat to national security”.
Police meanwhile revealed they became aware of the Artur brothers presence in the Maldives in January, and launched an investigation to determine if they had been conducting any illegal activities in the country.
Police Spokesperson Chief Inspector Hassan Haneef told Minivan News police had contacted “relevant government authorities” in January to inform them of the Artur brothers’ links to drug trafficking, money laundering, raids on media outlets, dealings with senior government officials and other serious crimes in Kenya.
He was reluctant to share any further details given that “this is still an open case under investigation”.
Minivan News understands that relevant authorities, including the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF), Ministry of Home Affairs, and the President’s Office were officially informed in January of the presence of the Artur brothers, even as Tourism Minister Ahmed Adheeb signed a letter seeking residency permits for the pair.
Immigration Controller Mohamed Ali told local media that Artur Sargasyan left the Maldives on Sunday (March 31). Sargasyan first entered the Maldives on a tourist visa in August 2012 and returned again in October, Ali said. Sargasyan’s associate is still in the Maldives at a resort in Male’ Atoll, Ali told local media.
Photos of the Arturs in the company of Adheeb and Defense Minister Mohamed Nazim emerged on social media over the weekend, apparently taken during the Piston Motor Racing Challenge held on Hulhumale’ between January 25 and 26.
One photo showed Artur Sargsyan next to Adheeb and Nazim, while another has him apparently starting one of the motorcycle races at the event, which was organised by the Maldivian National Defence Force (MNDF). Another image showed Sargsyan at the red carpet opening for the Olympus Cinema.
Meanwhile the Artur’s US$6000 bill at the Club Faru resort – recently taken over by the government-owned Maldives Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) – was paid by a ”top official of the resort management”, according to Haveeru.
Picking up the story today, Kenyan media reported that the brothers’ practice of publicly ingratiating themselves with senior government officials appeared not to have changed.
“The Arturs’ mode of operation where they show up in the company of top and well-connected government leaders appears to have been replicated in the Maldives. Their presence in the Maldives comes days after ousted leader Mohammed Nasheed expressed fear over his life,” reported Kenya’s Daily Nation publication.
Parliament concerned about connections with cabinet ministers
Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Imthiyaz Fahmy submitted the motion to parliament to raise concerns about the Artur brothers’ presence in the country and their possible connections with Nazim and Adheeb.
“The Artur brothers are a direct threat to national security since they are – true to their old style and from the experiences of other countries – directly linked to the top government officials including Mr Mohamed Nazim who is both the Defense Minister and the acting Transport Minister, as well as Mr Ahmed Adheeb who is the Tourism Minister,” Fahmy told Minivan News.
“These are the most crucial government ministries with which the Artur brothers are looking to have special links to achieve their objectives,” he contended.
Fahmy said the Artur brothers were believed to have carried out “all sorts of serious illegal activities internationally” and that the Maldives “is incapable of handling these notorious conmen from Armenia. They are capable of taking local criminal gangs to different heights.”
Fahmy explained that immigration laws do not permit entry into the Maldives if the visitor is “even suspected” of being involved in human smuggling or trafficking; may be [considered] a national threat, or otherwise may commit crimes against the state.”
“Given all these facts – and that the Artur brothers are world-infamous for carrying out criminal activities of this sort – they were allowed into the country and seen publicly with top government officials,” Fahmy added, alleging that the pair have three meetings with Adheeb and Nazim on Hulhumale’ and on Club Faru.
National security concerns politicised
While the extraordinary motion passed with 27 votes in favour to 10 against, most MPs from non-MDP parties “were not in favor of this serious issue”, Fahmy claimed.
The Parliamentary Committee on National Security will “seriously look into the matter”, however because it is not an MDP-majority committee, Fahmy believes said it would not be easy for the opposition to hold Nazim and Adheeb accountable.
“You could see how much the Artur brothers have penetrated into the parliament from the number of no votes for this motion today,” he claimed.
During today’s parliamentary debate the MDP was accused of being connected with the Artur brothers by MPs, who claimed the Maldivian shareholder in a company registered by the brothers was affiliated with the party.
Ismail Waseem of H. Ever Chance was listed as holding a 3 percent share in ‘Artur Brothers World Connections’, registered in the Maldives in October 2012.
Waseem’s share was subsequently transferred to Abdulla Shaffath of H. Ever Peace on November 25.
“No member holding a position in the party has anything to do with the Artur brothers,” Fahmy claimed. “Instead President Dr Waheed Hassan Manik, or his top government officials, are known to have been directly involved with them. It is this coup-government that has brought those conmen into this country,” Fahmy said.
Today’s parliamentary session was prolonged for an additional hour due to the extraordinary motion submitted.
Denials
Defense Minister Nazim and Tourism Minister Adheeb have meanwhile denied any involvement with infamous pair of Armenian brothers.
“I came to know about them after the rumours started spreading on social media networks. But no country had informed of us anything officially,” local media reported Nazim as saying.
“To my knowledge those two men have left the Maldives,” he said.
Adheeb acknowledged meeting the brothers during the Piston Cup event, but bemoaned to Haveeru how “information about this issue is being spread by the media rather negatively. I have no links with them.”
Speaking to Minivan News, Adheeb reiterated that he had no personal links with the Artur brothers, whom he said had now left the country on his recommendation.
According to Adheeb, the Artur brothers had previously invested in the country through a registered joint venture company with members of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).
Adheeb said he “advised them to leave peacefully and they agreed to sort out their visa and leave. They have now left.”
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The blind folded maumoonists will never understand or want to understand how ruthless his loyalists are
Maldivian bewarned those armenians are international conmen and drug trafficers also note that they also kill.the two are wanted in kenya for crimes from murder to drug business linked in kenya.
Alhan Fahmy, Jangiya Nazim, Ali Waheed, Jabir are equally a threat to this nation as Adeeb and his international drug and mafia lords! It is Alhan who and others who sold themselves to few bucks. So shut up and get your self straight.
“You could see how much the Artur brothers have penetrated into the parliament from the number of no votes for this motion today,”
Shouldn't come as a surprise to any of us. Given the Artur's close alliance with the regime officials, their influence will be far and wide. The Artur's are well versed in how 3rd world regimes operate and bribery is a clear winner amongst other tools at their disposal.
Dig deeper and you will find "interesting" dealings that have been going on between the Artur's and the men who brought down the democratic government. It goes without saying that a parliamentary debate will never find the truth behind these dirty and evil deals.
How ironic is it that the country's elected chamber's deputy speaker happens to be one of the most corrupt and widely hated figures in the country. Enough said.
If this was a developed nation, these ministers will be questioned and inquired.
Secondly why isnt ACC investigating the fact MTDC is picking up tabs of known criminals who has totalled a bill of US$6000?
What kind of a management is this? public shareholders must revolt against the current MD matheen for allowing such a thing to happen.
Parliamentarians who booted out this matter from the floor, who voted against or even did not vote should be identified and not given a seat at the parliament in the future!
They are shameless and do not deserve to be representing the people!
This is not child play or political drama!
This is a serious matter concern the future of this nation!
If these parliamentarians are not checked and dealt with, I would say the people of this country does deserve the right even to lynch them however much it is a thing of the old west!
Drug flow in the islands is very much liquid while many islands of the country to which power plants were supplied by a company that the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament had interest are suffering.
And he is said to be flying with one of these brothers, perhaps trying to master mind another pathetic disaster!
A sick mind will always work to plot yet another disaster to it's self!
Maldives now an open haven for international conmen and criminals. I wonder if Dawood Ibrahim alraedy owns many resorts here.
Clearly the MPs who voted against the motion were not thinking of the safety and security of the people who elected them and put them in those seats (with the fat pay check I may add).
Who are these MPs who voted against the motion representing in the Majlis?
Traitors and prostitutes.
Well its people like Naveen here who comented here that needs to understand, this isn't about who you hate in the political arena. It is much larger problem that this small Island nation will suffer to a long period of time. When Esso (Our Police, backed by its Number 1 criminal NAZIM) who have signed under oath to protect this country, is bowing down to a Thug, ciminal eliment unknowing what they are putting this Beutiful Island nation into. So I beg and plea the who country to stand up for this un imagina
nable danger.
Lets all stand up for the country and plea the Majilis members and the authorities of the nation to bring us the freedom we all deserve and Get us out of this mess.
I thank you all ..
Peace
Arthur brothers were first seemed to brought by MDP activists and they were given the company share certainly to MDP member ?
When these people were brought by MDP activist, it all are fine but now when someone else in the picture it is wrong.
In any case, these kind of drug lords should be brought to this country by any party and we all need to try to make this heaven for this kind of criminals.
sorry that i mean these kind of drug lords should not be brought to this country by any party and the country should be made as a sage heaven for this kind of criminal .
My last sentence was missing : "not"
we have to check if Artur Brothers and Maoumoon Brothers have any connection.