The Hawks Private Limited says it has identified and suspended the employees involved in smuggling cigarettes aboard a cargo ship from the company.
Yesterday, Maldives Customs stated that it had seized about 1.695 million sticks of cigarettes after it raided a workshop and accommodation blocks on the industrial island Thilafushi, based on a tip-off it received.
Customs said the cigarettes were smuggled aboard 'MT Hawks Jawahiru' docked in the Maldives on the 24th of this month and that the cargo ship belonged to the Hawks.
In a statement today, the company distanced itself from the smuggling. The Hawks said the company is a for-profit oil trading company and has no involvement in or any similar interest in the importation of any tobacco products.
Additionally, the statement said, that following a tip that cigarettes were being smuggled in, police showed up at The Hawks’ boat yard, where they showed up and searched the yard without a search warrant or warrant.
The company said it began its investigation into the smuggling and managed to identify the employees involved in the crime by going through CCTV footage. It said that these employees have now been suspended from their jobs and that the authorities have been notified of their involvement.
It further said that the company has more than 900 employees from 10 different countries and the company has always worked for the welfare of its employees.
However, it said the company has been surprised by the actions of a few employees. The Hawks assured that it will continue to take further measures to strengthen its internal controls to prevent such misuse of its resources.
