Police stopped and searched 153 people during a 24-hour special operation launched on Saturday (December 15) to curb crime rates in the capital Male’.
Police said officers on patrol “questioned people out on the street late at night without a purpose” and monitored groups of people in various locations.
Article 47(a) of the constitution however states, “No person shall be subject to search or seizure unless there is reasonable cause.”
Police meanwhile said the operation is set to continue in the future to “make Male’ secure.”
At a press briefing in October, Assistant Commissioner of Police revealed that officers on patrol after midnight questioned 2,930 individuals in a few weeks and prepared their profiles.
The Head of Central Operations Command explained that police have been “questioning people awake and out on the street without a purpose after midnight” as part of the ongoing operation to curb crime in the capital.
Saudhi also claimed that the government’s decision to revoke licenses of businesses to operate 24-hours has led to a decrease in the crime rate.
In October, police requested the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) press criminal charges against a pair of 18 year-olds for refusing to submit to a search by officers on patrol.
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