Police along with customs officials seized the alcohol stock of Fun Island Resort -- one of the four resorts operated by the Villa Group owned by opposition Jumhoory Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim.
Authorities had days earlier searched five resorts operated under the Villa Group umbrella later claiming that the four of the five resorts had an illegally acquired stock of pork and alcohol.
According to the authorities, the country's inland revenue authority had temporarily revoked the alcohol license of the four resorts over failure to pay taxes. However, the Villa Group had illegally diverted pork and alcohol from its sole license in one of the resorts to the rest.
Authorities under a court warrant are now packing the alcohol in the resort to be taken away. The Villa Group remain adamant that it had not done anything illegal although the law clearly stipulates otherwise.
The opposition had called for protests claiming that the raids were politically motivated 'targeting' of a key opposition figure.
Gasim was convicted of bribery in August last year months after he inked a landmark pact with former presidents Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Mohamed Nasheed and religiously conservative Adhaalath Party (AP) leader Sheikh Imran Abdulla to work against the government.
The business tycoon was granted medical leave to travel to Singapore where he had undergone a minor heart surgery in September before travelling to Germany.
Despite his leave expiring in late September, the former lawmaker had not returned claiming that no airline would allow him on board an air craft due to his ailing condition.
The tourism industry meanwhile, has expressed deep concern over the raids warning the government the adverse effects on its economy.
