Arrests and searches in police operation

Masked officers of the Special Operations (SO) of the Maldives Police Service has conducted searches in different areas of the capital, Malé City, and made a number of arrests as part of a special operation.

In the special operation, a young man was arrested near the Petral Hotel in Mahchangolhi while a number of others in the area were stopped and searched.

The SO police conducted a search of the Mahchangolhi cemetery where they collected something using lights. It is still unclear what it is that the police found in the cemetery.

Sun Media has learned that the police also search an expatriate residence near the Mahchangolhi cemetery. No one was arrested at the scene.

About 20 masked officers took part in the operation tonight. They searched a house in Dhidhi Goalhi near Iskandharu School.

Maldives Police Service has yet to give out any information regarding the special operation tonight.

The Superintendent of Police, Ahmed Shifan told Sun Media tonight that the operation is related to the gang violence and other crimes.

Superintendent Shifan said that searches will be conducted in the operation and suspects will be questioned.

A total of eight people have been killed in gang violence this year so far which includes one expatriate and seven locals. The public has been uneasy since the number of deaths climb while the investigation on the initial crimes are still incomplete.