The Gang Crimes Prohibition Act is not applicable anymore, says Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem.

He made the statement at a press conference on Sunday.

Speaking at the presser, PG Shameem highlighted that gang related crimes have been more prevalent in recent years. He added that the prosecution will pursue them. As such, the Prosecutor General stated that once the case is handed to the Prosecutor General's Office following police investigations, they will act as necessary.

PG Shameem went on to say that he wants these cases to be settled as soon as possible and added that the biggest challenge is keeping people in custody until the trial ends. He highlighted that cases, particularly those that are dangerous to society, must be settled as soon as possible.

During the presser, the PG noted that only one charge had been filed under the Gang Crimes Prohibition Act. The PG argued that the Gang Crimes Prohibition Act is no longer applicable because it was written a long time ago. He went on to say that simply making laws will not suffice, and stated that there must be a way to put the act into action.

Highlighting that including all the crimes in the Penal Code is a huge task, PG Shameem stated that the Attorney General intends to do so.

Shameem stated that the administration is working to prevent gang crimes and that there is a special Presidential task force for this. Shameem also said that the joint operations by Maldives Police Service (MPS) and Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) has help reduce the gang related crimes.