Maldives Police Service has announced the arrest of three additional suspects in connection with the heist at the Velana International Airport, when robbers snatched a suitcase full of money from bank staff.
The crime, which sent shockwaves around the country, took place at around 04:45am on October 27, when masked robbers snatched a suitcase estimated to contain around USD 100,000 from two bank employees as they were about to enter the new international passenger terminal at the VIA.
The robbers went to the airport in a taxi and fled on a speedboat.
The Police have announced the arrest of three additional suspects in connection with the case: Ali Afzal, 21, S. Hithadhoo, Vasahgulimaage, Ahmed Maidh, 44, Eheevaage, Th. Thilafushi and Abdul Awwal Ibrahim Aboobakr, 27, Binaa, GA. Villingili.
According to the Police, all three suspects were arrested last week: Abdul Awwal on Sunday, Maidh on Tuesday and Afzal on Wednesday.
All three have been remanded in custody pending the outcome of their trial, the Police added.
Their arrests brought up the total number of suspects arrested in connection with the case to seven. In this regard, the four suspects arrested earlier are:
Hussain Shahud, 30, Alhivilaage, K. Guraidhoo
Ibrahim Anoof, 24, Alhivilaage, K. Guraidhoo
Ahmed Raihan Naeem, 20, M. Chorus, K. Male’
Mazin Moosa, 25, Reysham, L. Maavah
Combined photos of (from L-R) Hussain Shahud, 30, Alhivilaage, K. Guraidhoo; Ibrahim Anoof, 24, Alhivilaage, K. Guraidhoo; Ahmed Raihan Naeem, 20, M. Chorus, K. Male’; and Mazin Moosa, 25, Reysham, L. Maavah. (Photo/Maldives Police Service)
The Police further said travel bans have been imposed on four individuals in connection with the case. The authority has searched five vessels and 20 locations from Male’ and atolls as part of the investigation into the case.
While Home Minister Ali Ihusan announced the seizure of the speedboat used by the culprits in the case, neither Ihusan nor the Police has yet to confirmed whether the stolen money has been recovered.
The exact sum of the stolen money has not been disclosed either.
While the police have not specified which bank the stolen money belongs to, or how much money the suitcase contained, Sun has learned through credible sources that the suitcase was snatched as it was being taken to the Bank of Maldives (BML) counter at the airport, and contained cash for foreign currency exchange and USD for issuance to travelers.