News Desk
MALÉ, Maldives — In a rare display of swift and coordinated enforcement, authorities have seized more than 73,000 vape devices and related paraphernalia in the weeks since the country enacted one of the region’s toughest anti‑vaping laws. Officials say the crackdown marks a turning point in the nation’s public‑health policy — and signals a broader cultural shift toward protecting young people from emerging nicotine products.
The ban, signed by President Dr. Mohammed Muizzu, halts the import of all vaping devices and will prohibit their sale, distribution and use nationwide. The legislation also raises the minimum age for purchasing tobacco products from 18 to 21, aligning the Maldives with global public‑health standards.
At a press conference at Iskandar Koshi, the Commissioner of Customs detailed the scale of the operation: 185 cases, 73,000 seized devices, and more than 24 million rufiyaa worth of illicit cigarette sticks confiscated since the ban took effect on November 15.
The numbers reflect both the size of the market and the government’s determination to dismantle it. Between 2018 and mid‑2023, the Maldives imported more than 124 million rufiyaa (about $8 million) worth of e‑cigarettes and related products — a staggering figure for a small island nation of half a million people.
In recent weeks, enforcement teams have intercepted several large shipments, including a December 4 operation that uncovered 10,800 vape cartridges valued at 2.7 million rufiyaa. Officials described it as the largest single seizure since the law was amended.
The new law imposes some of the region’s toughest penalties:
- 50,000 rufiyaa fine for importing vaping devices
- 20,000 rufiyaa fine for sellers, plus additional penalties per device
- Up to 50,000 rufiyaa for selling to minors
- Fines for distributing devices free of charge
The clarity and severity of the penalties, officials say, are designed to deter both casual sellers and organized smuggling networks.
With the ban, the Maldives joins more than 30 countries that have prohibited vaping products, including several in South Asia. But unlike many nations where enforcement lags behind legislation, the Maldives has moved quickly — and visibly — to implement the law.
The government has also extended smoking restrictions to government offices operating in leased private buildings, signalling a broader commitment to public‑health reform.
For a country better known for luxury tourism, the vaping crackdown represents a rare moment in which the Maldives positions itself as a regional leader in health governance. Officials frame the effort not as moral policing, but as a pragmatic response to a youth‑driven health crisis.
The consistency of enforcement — often a challenge in small island states — has become a point of national pride. In press briefings and public statements, officials emphasize that the goal is not punishment, but protection.
