Tag: sword

Sword shipment destined for ‘Picasso Choice’ toyshop, reveals Customs

Maldives Customs Services today revealed the name of the company responsible for importing a shipment of swords and realistic-looking toy firearms.

According to customs, 260 ‘Airsoft’ pellet guns, five ornamental swords and 12 sling shots were imported to a toy shop Male’ called ‘Picasso Choice’.

Minivan News attempted to contact the owner of Picasso Choice, but the shop attendant said he did not know about the shipment and declined to give the owner’s number, identifying him only as ‘Ibrahim’.

Shortly afterwards, the same shopkeeper rang back to pass on a message from the owner, stating that as the media had not contacted him regarding the shipment until today, he did not wish to comment.

Yesterday Maldives Customs Spokesperson Ibrahim Mohamed revealed that the shipments of swords and toy guns were imported in the name of a company that was owned by a “prominent businessman”.

Customs inspectors initially discovered the swords on July 29. Later, during further inspection of the same shipment, inspectors discovered the toy guns and sling shots customs officers observed were “much more powerful” than normal toy guns.

Two men were also arrested recently at immigration after arriving from Colombo with nine black face masks and a stun gun in their luggage.

A statement issued by the customs identified the two men as Ali Nihad Mohamed, 20, of Joothyge in Galolhu district Male’, and Ahmed Farish, 25,of Konottaa also in Galolhu district.

The stun gun and five face masks were found inside the baggage of Nihad and four black masks were found in the baggage of Farish, customs stated.

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Customs seizes shipment of 260 toy guns

Maldives Customs Service last night seized 260 toy guns and handed them over to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) for investigation.

Spokesperson for the Maldives Customs Service Ismail Nashid said the shipment was imported to the Maldives from Thailand and the items were classified as toys.

“We are trying to determine whether these guns could potentially be used for other purposes, even though they have been shipped as ‘toys’,’’ said Nashid. ‘’After the investigation sn concluded we will hold a joint press meeting with the media and reveal details.”

The ship was a commercial cargo ship, which was loaded in Thailand, he said.

He said the guns were now under the observation MNDF.

Spokesperson for MNDF Major Abdul Raheem said MNDF had determined that the guns were toys.

“We are yet to find out how dangerous these guns are and in what other ways they could be used,’’ said Abdul Raheem. ‘’We can only provide information about the case after the investigation is concluded.’’

Maldives Customs recently intercepted five three-foot double-edged swords inside a container imported to Maldives from China.

Spokesperson for Maldives Ports Limited (MPL), Hassan Muzni Mohamed, said the swords were discovered during an inspection by customs officers.

The ship that carried the container, ‘MOL KOMATI’, was loaded in China and stopped at a port in Singapore prior arriving in the Maldives.

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Arrests in Laamu Gan after gang attacks on police

Police have arrested 22 people including four children under the age of 18 in Laamu Gan, after they were attacked during a wave of gang violence.

Police said the attacks occurred on Saturday morning at 4:00am, after the gang, believed to be from Mathimaradhu, “appeared suddenly from a forest.”

Police alleged gang members broke the glass windows of a shop in the industrial area of Mathimaradhu, burnt down a hut in Mulurimagu [district] and broke the windows of two houses. When they tried to stop the gang members, police claim they they were attacked and a police vehicle damaged.

Two policemen were seriously injured in the attack, including one suffered a broken arm after he was hit by a metal tube and another who was struck in the arm by a piece of wood with nails in it.

Police have recovered some of the weapons used in the attack from a house in Mathimaradhu, including swords, knives, metal pipes and blocks.

Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said the injured two police officers have been brought to Male’ and admitted in Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH).

He said the police were investigating the case but refused to give more information.

Island Chief of Gan office Abdul Rahman said that the attack on Saturday night was a gang war between the two districts Mathimaradhu and Mukuri Magu that had been going on for a long time, “for at least three months.”

”Several times many of them have been injured,” Rahman said, ”but this is the first time they attacked the police and damaged property.”

He said most of the gang members were under the age of eighteen.

”We do not know why they have been fighting,” he said. ”We had not received any reports on these fights.”

He said there was a distance of 30 minutes between the two districts on foot.

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