Four suspects arrested in connection with the robbery of over USD 100,000 from two Bank of Maldives (BML) employees at Velana International Airport (VIA) have been remanded in custody until the conclusion of their trial.
The incident occurred around 4:45am. on October 27, when masked assailants confronted the bank employees at Terminal 1 and fled with a suitcase containing a large sum of cash.
Those arrested have been identified as Mazin Moosa, 25, from Reysham in Maavah island of Laamu atoll; Ahmed Raihan Naeem, 20, from M. Choras, Malé City; Ibrahim Anoof, 24, from Alhivilaage in Guraidhoo island of Kaafu atoll; and Hussain Shahudh, 30, also from Alhivilaage in Guraidhoo island of Kaafu atoll.
When the suspects were brought before court on Sunday for a remand hearing, the judge ruled that they be held in custody until the end of the trial. This marks the second remand order in the case, following an initial five-day detention period that expired the same day.
The stolen amount, exceeding USD 100,000, remains unrecovered. Authorities have yet to disclose any progress on the investigation, raising questions about the handling of the case and the security vulnerabilities exposed by such a high-profile theft inside the country’s main international airport.