Police have been unable to determine the whereabouts of Godzine Sargsyan and two other Maldivians they have been searching for in regard to the ongoing Artur brothers case, police told local media today.
Police began looking for the individuals on April 23 and asked the public to provide assistance in locating Godzine Sargsyan. They separately issued a statement identifying the two Maldivians also sought by police.
At the time police did not state that the two Maldlvians were being searched for in connection with the Artur brothers case.
The two Maldivians were identified by the police as Ahmed Visham, 28 of H. Ever Chance in Male’ and Ahmed Nishan, 31 of Hulhumale’ flat number 5-2-04.
Earlier in April, pictures of the Artur brothers with Tourism Minister Ahmed Adheeb and Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim emerged on social media. The photos of the two Maldivian ministers in the company of the Arturs were apparently taken during the Piston Motor Racing Challenge held on Hulhumale’ between January 25 and 26.
However, the ministers denied involvement with the infamous brothers, who are linked to drug trafficking, money laundering, raids on media outlets and other serious crimes in Kenya.
A letter from the Tourism Ministry to immigration authorities requesting a residency visa for Margaryan and Sargayan Artur, dated January 27 and signed by Adheeb, was subsequently leaked on social media.
A company named ‘Artur Brothers World Connections’ was registered in the Maldives on October 2012, with the Artur brothers holding an 80 percent share in the 61-19 percent split company.