Home Minister: Gang crime down by 23% from when we took office

Gang crime has gone down by 23 percent from when the People’s National Congress (PNC) administration took office in 2023, says Homeland Security Minister Ali Ihusan.

He made the remark in an appearance on Public Service Media (PSM)’s Haftha 104 program on Tuesday night.

In his interview, Ihusan said the Homeland Security Ministry directed the police to create a dedicated unit to fight gang crime.

He said that gang crime has gone down by 23 percent since then.

“Through these efforts, we have been able to bring down gang crime by 23 percent over the last two years. In Sha Allah, we will resolve the issue of gang crime to a level that is acceptable to the Maldivian people by the end of the remaining three years,” he said.

 Ihusan said the previous Anti-Gang Act in the Maldives has been ineffective, and the new one introduced by the PNC administration has equipped law enforcement authorities with the powers they need to effectively tackle gang crime.

The new laws grant law-enforcement agencies greater powers to combat gang crimes, including the power to enter and search private properties and make arrests without a court warrant, hold suspects for up to 48 hours while denying them the right to meet a lawyer, and deny them bail.

The new laws also prescribe lengthy prison sentences exceeding 10 years and hefty fines.

Back in April, the Homeland Security Ministry said there were 83 criminal gangs operating in the Maldives, with over 3,500 active members. The ministry said that 45 of the gangs were based in Male’, with over 2,500, including 85 minors.

During a rally held on Monday to celebrate his administration’s two-year anniversary, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu said that the new laws are producing results. He said that gangsters have left lives of crime behind, and that there were few gangs that meet the legal criteria for criminal organizations.