Four arrested in USD 100K heist remanded for five days

The four suspects arrested in connection to a heist at the Velana International Airport on Monday, in which masked robbers snatched a suitcase full of money from bank staff, have been remanded in custody of the police for five days.

The crime took place at around 04:45 am Monday, when masked robbers snatched a suitcase estimated to contain around USD 100,000 in cash 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 arrested four suspects and recovered the boat believed to have been used in their escape within hours.

They have been identified as:

• 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

A police spokesperson told to Sun that all four suspects were taken to a court for their remand hearing on Tuesday.

The court ordered for all four suspects to be remanded in custody of the police for five days, said the police spokesperson.

Credible sources report that the suspects were arrested from K. Huraa, a residential island that lies close to Male’ City. The speedboat believed to have been used in the robbers’ escape was found at the island’s harbor.

The suspects were also reportedly caught on CCTV cameras at a guesthouse in Huraa handling a large amount of USD.

The police continue to operate in Huraa, possibly searching for the stolen money which remains unaccounted for.

While the police have not specified which bank the stolen money belongs to, or how much money the suitcase contained, Sun has been informed 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.

“I contained around USD 100,000. It also contained cash in other currencies, including Euros,” said a source who spoke to Sun on condition of anonymity on Monday.

However, the exact amount of money stolen in the robbery remains unclear.

A source told Sun that the robbers had timed the robbery perfectly to the arrival of the bank staff with the money, and the police have said that a police escort wasn’t requested for the money transfer.

The BML has declined to comment on the case.

The security at the VIA is managed by the Aviation Security Command, a unit run under the Defense Ministry, with assistance from the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) and the police.

But in July, the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) created an Estate Security Department, to manage security at parking areas, jetties, taxi queues, the company’s assets, and the safety and security of the larger Hulhule’.

The MACL has refused to disclose the cost of running the new department.