The Maldives Police Service has uncovered a suspected illegal recruitment and money laundering operation involving a Bangladeshi national and several local collaborators, including immigration officials.
Police arrested Shahadath Hussain, a 34-year-old Bangladeshi national, in connection with the case. Investigators say he was at the centre of a scheme that exploited the Maldives’ work visa system, allowing foreigners to enter the country under false pretences. The case against Shahadath has been concluded and forwarded to the Prosecutor General’s Office for prosecution, while investigations into other individuals remain ongoing.
According to Chief Inspector Ahmed Azmath Abdulla, Shahadath allegedly worked in collaboration with staff from the Department of Immigration and Maldivian nationals to issue work permits without legitimate employment opportunities. In many instances, foreigners paid for these permits, with the funds being transferred to bank accounts in Bangladesh.
From 2019 to 2024, over MVR 8 million was deposited into accounts belonging to Shahadath. Records show that MVR 1.6 million from one of his accounts was paid through the official Expat portal to cover visa fees. Despite residing in the Maldives since 2014, police confirmed that Shahadath had no valid immigration status. He was living in a rented two-bedroom apartment in Malé for MVR 18,000 a month. Although officially listed as an “office boy,” his documentation recorded a suspiciously high monthly salary of USD 3,000. His work permit expired in July 2023 after visa fee payments were not made.
A search of Shahadath’s phone and laptop revealed digital copies of forged work permit documents, passport photos of foreign workers, and ID cards of Maldivians. Investigators also found browsing history related to the Expat system and evidence of fake credentials used to access government administrative systems. These include IDs and registrations under 574 entities, spanning private businesses, foreign companies, partnerships, and individuals.
Police also confirmed that Shahadath held six accounts at the Bank of Maldives, three in MVR and three in USD. Some usernames and login credentials used to access government systems, including eFaas and Expat, may not have been created by Shahadath himself, suggesting internal collusion. Police are treating these as separate investigations.
Authorities say the probe into the broader network of collaborators, including immigration staff and other members of the public, is still active.
