Four Arrested Over Armed Robbery of Cash-Filled Suitcase at Velana International Airport

News

Four suspects have been arrested in connection with the armed robbery of a cash-filled suitcase belonging to the Bank of Maldives (BML) at Velana International Airport (VIA) early Tuesday morning.

The arrests were announced by Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusan on X (formerly Twitter), who confirmed that police had recovered the speedboat used in the crime.

According to Mihaaru News, the stolen suitcase contained approximately USD 130,000 in cash. The funds were reportedly being transported by two BML employees for issuance to local travellers departing the country this morning.

Sources revealed that the masked perpetrators threatened the BML staff with knives and sprayed a substance at officers from the Aviation Security Command while fleeing the scene. The robbery occurred in the walkway connecting the old terminal and the new Terminal 1, and the suspects escaped using a speedboat docked at the VIA jetty.

Police said they received reports of the robbery at around 4:45 a.m., confirming that two masked men had attacked the bank employees and taken the suitcase. Authorities also clarified that no police security escort had been arranged for the transfer of the funds.

The identities of the four suspects have not yet been released, and the investigation remains ongoing.