Police have achieved major progress in solving the high profile robbery at Velana International Airport, with four suspects now in custody and the speedboat used in the escape successfully recovered.
In an official statement released on social media, Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusaan confirmed that the Maldives Police Service acted swiftly following the early morning attack, which targeted two Bank of Maldives employees transporting a briefcase filled with US dollars into Terminal 1.
The robbery occurred around 4:45 AM in the walkway connecting the old terminal and the new Terminal 1. Masked assailants armed with knives threatened the employees before fleeing with the foreign currency intended for counter distribution to departing passengers.
Minister Ihusaan commended officers for their rapid investigative response, noting that the recovery of the getaway vessel marks a decisive breakthrough in the ongoing operation to secure the stolen funds and dismantle the criminal network behind the assault.
Initial inquiries also revealed that the cash transfer was carried out without requesting police escort services, bringing renewed attention to security shortcomings in cash handling procedures at critical transport hubs.
Authorities continue to search for any additional accomplices and are working to trace the stolen money. Police urge all businesses and institutions conducting cash in transit within Malé and Hulhulé to coordinate protection services through the Police Installation Security Department to reduce the risk of similar incidents.
More updates are anticipated as the investigation advances.
