Police had arrested 25 gangsters in an special operation police conducted to avoid gang violence in Male’ and make the city peaceful.
In a press conference yesterday, police noted that gangsters in Male’ were becoming more coordinated “and there has been a corresponding rise in planned and organised crime.”
Deputy commissioner of police Mohamed Rilwan revealed in a press conference yesterday that gangs had been observed adapting to police tactics and becoming more sophisticated in their approach to crime.
Rilwan said that when police raided gang areas and the houses of gang members during the recent crackdown, they found stashes of weapons and other items. These included knives, masks, mobile phones, toy guns, box cutters, watches and sunglasses.
Rilwan promised that police would make Male’ peaceful and ensure gangsters had “no more chances” to commit crime in the country.
During last week’s special operation against gang crime, police arrested 25 suspects including Ahmed Nafiz [Chika], Ahmed Rizam, Shifau Abdul Waheed [Shifa], Mohamed Ahusan [Ahu], Mohamed Aswad [Maxy], Hussein Razeen, Ahmed Shaz, Hassan Ali [Hassu], Adam Ziyad, Ahmed Husham, Ahmed Shiruhan [Shiru], Hussein Alwan, Ahsan Basheer, Ahmed Ismail [Ahandhu], Fahud Ibrahim, Fazeel Hameed, Ahmed Muaz, Rilwan Faruhath [Ilu].
Political connections
Press Secretary for the President’s Office Mohamed Zuhair expressed concern that “some of the politicians use gangsters for political reasons.”
”It is not acceptable for politicians to use any other tool than words,” he said.
He said the gang situation in the city had worsened “because of the failed educational policies of the former government.”
”I am very confident that the police will make this a peaceful city,” he said.
A gang member calling himself ‘IJ’ told Minivan News that police had arrested “many innocent people” during the special operation.
”It’s okay to arrest people who are connected with a case they are investigating,” he said, ”but it was really bad that police arrested innocent people among us.”
He said the police were “arresting anyone they feel like, and keeping them in custody for a long period of time.”
As a result, the prisoners were “given a bad reputation and encouraged to become involved in crime.”
He said that it was good that police were making Male’ peaceful, “as people are afraid to walk the streets.”
”Gangs are not afraid of the streets, the only fear for us is the police,” he said.
He said he hoped police would show professionalism when they raided more streets in Male’, “and arrest only guilty people.”
Another gang member told Minivan News that the police could not make the the streets peaceful as long as he was there.
He said the police were arresting friends of criminals, “making their parents think they were also criminals. ”
”If someone visits us to play cards and chat, police would arrest him too,” he said. ”Then people think he’s also a gangster, so he gets angry and changes himself into one.”
He claimed that they had fought police “many times. They come and disturb us even if we were sitting to chat,” he said, ”which makes us angry and want to go against them. Then they arrest all of us.”
He said the police had confiscated a lot of gang property, including sofas and chairs which they had bought.
“The gangs are not gathering to do crimes, just to sit down and chat with friends,” he said.
Sub Inspector of police Ahmed Shiyam said the police were checking and arresting anyone they suspected of gang involvement, and acknowledged that sometimes people who were not gang members had been arrested.
Even though those arrested might get bad reputations, “there is no other way due to the situation in the country,” he said.
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Just like the previous government that signed a peace pact with gangs on live television, the present government provided a safehaven for gangs for the past year or so. Why else would we see convicted criminals roaming freely on the streets of Male'.
The incident that we saw in Parliament today has made me realise that gangbanging is here to stay.
Yeah Hameed, well said...when the MPs of this country act like gangsters, then what hope is there for the common people and the younger generation? Sad as it is, the fact is that there is not one leader among us today who can put a stop to this violence once and for all, be it street violence or Majlis violence. We all know that the real gangsters are actually not those kids on the streets...they are being flattered and used by the big people with real money...too bad these people are unstoppable.
yeah thugs every wheere
This is a great new low for Minivan news. Why on earth would you give so much attention and glorify what the criminal gang member says. I normally like minivan news but I find this article very offensive and objectionable.
This does nothing apart from encouraging youth to join the gangs.
"Press Secretary for the President’s Office Mohamed Zuhair expressed concern that “some of the politicians use gangsters for political reasons.”"
Why do i feel we even have some of them in the parliament?
"A gang member calling himself ‘IJ’ told Minivan News that police had arrested “many innocent people” during the special operation."
Why would any gang member tell Minivan News that police have arrested their leader?
why are some gang targeted while some gangs that are registered like Jamiyathu Salaf, Islamic Foundation of Maldives and also unregistered once like Dot groups not targeted in this operation by police. The above names are gangs who call for violence in the name of religion. they should be also targeted for male to be a safe place especially for women without veil as they were threatened by these gang members in public.. in taxis.. on FM and TV
the worst gangs in male really is DOT group and Salaf gang members. They might even have bomb instead of knives and toy guns
Are these street groups or gang members?
Do they get involved in delinquent activities or crimes?
Police has to be careful about these two groups.
I call on the Maldivian Head of State to remove all the white collar criminals and gang leaders from the Parliament.
thats gud, all the suspects shud be arrested, they pose a danger to the society since they can do harm due to the influence of friends. And the gang members would say the suspects are innocent, but we have to keep in mind they are the GANGSTERS. why trust them?the chatting they do on their sofas are usually , planning a theft, bloodshed, or any other kinda thing they can possibly imagine. so it is great to remove their discussion area so that the rates would lower. a good step forward by the maldivian police.
yes the dots shud be removed, but jamiyathul salaf and islamic foundation never used violence.. they never said anything about hurting anyone. just because they have a certain set of rules doesnt mean theyll hurt everyone who opposes.
and congrats minivan news for the campaign you organise to promote criminal rights, leaving behind the victim's right.the gangster, mobs and thieves words are of zero value to the society and their lies shud not be acknowledged. its time for all of us to hold hands against the gangs and make the city a more peaceful place. great vision by the police.
yes mabe dots do pose a threat, but jamiyathul salaf ,isamic foundation never threatened anyone , its just they use freedom of expresssion to express the opinion of islam to the public. maybe some are afraid of the rising veils in the maldives, and no more "bitun", that cannot be regarded as a threat but freedom of self..
Dots. salafs . fareeds foundation all these are organized gangs under different banners who want a short cut to heaven and is a threat coz they are more violent than street youth gangs. they all should be arreseted and put behind bars with chika and other drug dealers. They have already threatened women with acid in there face if not wearing veil. arrest the Dots. salafs . fareeds foundation with other gangs they are no different
It is high time we recognise the gangs such as DOT and Salaf and Islamic Foundation hiding behind the guise of Islam as if it gives them more legitimacy.
There targeting groups are the vulnerable such as women and children. Government should stand up against them and stop the bullying!
What an amazing country. Gangs can even communicate with media while the law officers are head hunting for them and yet Minivan news will keep his contact undisclosed.
DOT Salaf and faith based (religious) organizations are not only a threat but a waste of money and resources.
The DOTs (specially) has a philosophy which they believe that anyone who doesn't have a belief system as they believe are not Muslim's therefore they should be terminated.
Infact the same philosophy applies to all faith based beliefs but they are not as hardcore as DOTs.
WHY do youths join gangs?. Its because the government/society have failed them. There is no hope of economic/social recovery as long as the government plays doormat to every Tom, Dick and Hairy that comes our way.
fareeds foundation nor salaf threatened about acid, be responsible when spreading rumors. there isnt one threat posed by them . what they only do is deliver the truth, which is their responsibility as scholars, and save women from hell fire due to the love of them. ya dots do have some kinda philosophy, but not foundation or the salaf. their work is based on communication under the laws. the rising of veils shows the succes of their campaign. you cant criticize them just because they have a differnt view than yours. their view of islam is based on Quran and the sunnah, unlike yours.
In the case of police stepping up pressure on gang violence, its a start even if its a bit late. Investigating politicians should also be a part of it.
As for the few that is always trying to use every situation to go against Islam, they are not time worthy in this case to spend time replying to their concerns, be it genuine or pure hate for religion.
From what I know from majority of the people I talked to is that they are only concerned with these gang violence as gangs are the ones that is carrying knives and cutters against people on the street. Im sure not all people who hang around to chat are bad, there will usually be a few bad ones with proper bad intentions. But what is the police supposed to do really if the innocent gang members are not willing to come out against the bad ones that does attack and injure a brother or sister of someone else, a father of a child or even someone elses son.
Just recently a Malaysian ex prison officer was sentenced to death in Malaysian court for knowingly killing someone. Hence death penalty is a good way to start so that the innocent ones that are arrested are released after an investigation and people should not judge the others unless evidence are there to show something against them. But for those that does knowingly go kill someone, they should be sentenced to death. Even countries like the U.S which supposedly champions Human Rights practices the death penalty (ofcourse after clear evidence is shown in a court of law). Who would not want to testify against someone if they know that a killer would feel death just as the innocent victim did.
Maldives has so many big Islands, so bring them to the Islands and make agriculture, building haruge. nice alcatraz! why are you goverment making so much work? mamamia oo sorry then the govement has to approve , sorry to much work ehehe