Police Recover Speedboat and Arrest Four Suspects in Velana Airport Heist

Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusaan, confirmed via a post on X that police have recovered the speedboat used in the Velana International Airport robbery and arrested four suspects linked to the incident.

The robbery occurred around 4:45 a.m. when two employees of Bank of Maldives (BML) were transporting a briefcase containing cash between the old and new terminals of the airport. Masked individuals intercepted the staff and seized the briefcase before fleeing via the airport jetty using a speedboat.

Sources familiar with the case indicated that the briefcase contained over USD 100,000. However, police have not officially confirmed the amount or the currency involved.

The incident has prompted renewed attention to security protocols surrounding cash handling at Velana International Airport, though no official information have been announced.