Special police unit curbs gang violence: Minister Ihusaan

Minister of Homeland Security, Labour and Technology Ali Ihusaan has said the establishment of a specialized unit within the Maldives Police Service (MPS) has contributed significantly to reducing gang-related violence across the Maldives.

Responding to an inquiry by Inguraidhoo constituency MP Ibrahim Falah during Tuesday’s parliamentary sitting on progress made under the Act on Prohibiting Gang Crimes, Minister Ihusaan said the specialized unit has been conducting continuous, round-the-clock operations in areas identified as having high levels of gang activity.

He said the sustained operations have resulted in a substantial reduction in violent incidents nationwide.

Highlighting the scale of gang-related violence in previous years, Ihusaan noted that fatalities linked to gang violence were recorded almost annually between 2007 and 2023, excluding the COVID-19 pandemic period. In some years, he said, an average of five people were killed in gang-related violence.

The Minister stressed that the government’s approach is not limited to arresting and imprisoning young people involved in criminal activities.

Instead, he said rehabilitation and reintegration are key components of the government’s strategy, with efforts focused on helping individuals involved in gangs return to society and become productive members of the workforce.

Ihusaan said several individuals have already completed rehabilitation programmes and subsequently chosen more positive paths in life.

He emphasized that the government intends to continue combining strong law enforcement with rehabilitation initiatives to address gang-related crime and prevent young people from becoming further involved in criminal activities.