Airport USD heist: Money unrecovered almost a month into the robbery

The money stolen in the heist at Velana International Airport (VIA), when robbers snatched a suitcase full of US dollars from bank staff, remains unrecovered almost a month into the incident.

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.

Sun inquired about an update on the case from Maldives Police Service both on Thursday and Friday. On both days, the Police media official said there are no further updates in the case and any additional developments will be shared at the earliest.

The last update on the case came on November 10^th, when the Police announced the arrest of three additional suspects. Their arrests brought the total number of suspects arrested in connection with the case to seven. They 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
• Ali Afzal, 21, S. Hithadhoo, Vasahgulimaage
• Ahmed Maidh, 44, Eheevaage, Th. Thilafushi
• Abdul Awwal Ibrahim Aboobakr, 27, Binaa, GA. Villingili

All seven suspects have been remanded in custody pending the outcome of their trial.

The Police have also stated they have imposed travel bans on four individuals. However, their identities have not been disclosed.

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 confirm whether the stolen money has been recovered.

The exact sum of the stolen money has not been disclosed either.

Although 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.