Former Presidents Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and Mohamed Nasheed had lambasted the government institutes Maldives Customs Services and Maldives Police Service for raiding Jumhoory Party leader's Villa brand resorts on Wednesday night.
Former head of state Gayoom criticized the government and questioned their integrity through a public tweet when he raised concern of state authorities conducting raid on five resort properties of one particular individual despite several tourism related outlets serving in Maldives.
He had even questioned the state's claims of transparency and nondiscrimination.
Self-exiled former President Nasheed condemned government initiated act stating the intimidation of holidaymakers and tourists at the hands of local authorities could result in the reputation of Maldivian tourism industry in jeopardy.
Maldives Customs and Police had conducted the search on five properties owned by Qasim Ibrahim's Villa Resorts. These resorts are Royal Island, Fun Island, Paradise Island, Holiday Island and Sun Island Resort.
A media official of Maldives Police Service had confirmed that the authority has been collaborating with Customs Service to conduct search on five resort properties.
The head of managing all Villa resort properties, Qaisar Naseem told Avas that Maldives Customs and Police raided all five resorts at the same time on Wednesday at 19:30hrs. Authorities had wanted to inspect and clarify the usage of pork and alcoholic beverages, their respective stocks stored in warehouses and cellars.
Authorities had also monitored the people using these products at Villa resorts during their raid.
Naseem had asserted that the sudden and unprecedented raid on all five resort properties by authorities had left the staffs and holidaymakers in those venues, in a state of shock and fright.
The current executive of managing all five resort properties had furthermore stated that Qasim Ibrahim's resorts operate under the guidelines of Maldives tourism and the use and sales of pork and alcoholic products at these properties have been permitted by relevant authorities.
