Charges filed against eight arrested in USD 100K airport heist

The Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) has filed charges against eight suspects arrested in connection to a heist at the Velana International Airport in October last year, in which masked robbers snatched a suitcase full of money from bank staff.

The crime took place at around 04:45 am October 27, 2025, when masked robbers snatched a suitcase estimated to contain around USD 100,000 in cash 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 has been informed that the PGO has filed charges against eight people arrested in the case with the Criminal Court.

The charges were filed separately. However, the exact dates on which the charges were filed is unclear at this point.

The eight suspects arrested in the case 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, Vashagulimaage, S. Hithadhoo
• Ahmed Maidh, 44, Eheevaage, Th. Thilafushi
• Abdul Awwal Ibrahim Aboobakr, 27, Binaa, GA. Villingili
• Ismail Sirhan, 30, Meezan, R. Maduvvari

All eight remain in police custody.

The initial arrests in the case were made from K. Huraa, a residential island that lies close to Male’ City. The speedboat believed to have been used in the robbers’ escape was found at the island’s harbor.

While the police have not specified which bank the stolen money belongs to, or how much money the suitcase contained, Sun was informed 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 totaling over USD 100,000.

It is unclear if the money was ever recovered.