Three Individuals Charged in Major Cigarette Smuggling Case, Hawks Company Not Yet Charged
The Prosecutor General’s Office has announced charges against three individuals involved in smuggling 8,400 cartons of cigarettes on board a fuel vessel operated by Hawks Pvt Ltd. However, the Hawks company itself is currently not facing any charges due to insufficient evidence from the Customs investigation.
Customs Seized Smuggled Cigarettes Last Year
The smuggling was uncovered by Customs officials in October 2024 when the shipment was intercepted. Despite the scale of the operation, the Prosecutor General’s Office said there is not enough evidence at this time to charge Hawks or any other individuals connected to the company. However, they have kept the door open to charge Hawks in the future if new evidence comes to light.
Alongside Hawks, an individual named Ismail Adam is also not being charged at this stage. The ongoing investigation involves multiple agencies, with Customs handling the current criminal inquiry while the Police are conducting a separate criminal investigation related to the case.
Charges Filed Against Three Individuals
The three people now facing smuggling charges are
- Mohamed Naseer
- Mohamed Didi
- Adam Rameez
The charges were formally lodged in the Criminal Court on May 8, 2025, under Articles 97 (a, d, e) of the Customs Act, which deals with smuggling offenses.
Timeline of the Investigation and Prosecution
The Prosecutor General’s Office provided a clear timeline to shed light on the process:
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On October 30, 2024, the duty prosecution began, with Customs receiving detailed instructions on how to conduct the investigation on four occasions.
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By April 22, 2025, Customs completed its investigation and forwarded the case to the PG Office, which agreed to take on the case.
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On May 4, 2025, plea bargains were reached with 11 Indian and 2 Bangladeshi nationals who admitted to involvement in the smuggling operation.
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Charges against the three accused individuals were filed on May 8.
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On June 10, Hawks and Ismail Adam’s case was returned to Customs for further review.
Parliamentary Concerns Over Investigation Delays
The Committee on National Security Services in Parliament expressed concern about how long the case has taken to reach this stage. The PG Office responded by pointing out that prosecution efforts began shortly after the smuggling was discovered in October 2024, with all procedures following due process.
The investigation initially named 17 individuals and Hawks Pvt Ltd as suspects. When the story first emerged, Hawks strongly denied any involvement in the smuggling and confirmed that those linked to the incident were dismissed from their positions.
What’s Next for the Case?
At present, the focus remains on prosecuting the three individuals charged. Hawks company remains under observation, with the possibility of future charges if further evidence emerges.