PGO to Draft Regulations for New Anti-Gang Law

The Prosecutor General’s (PG) Office has begun drafting the necessary regulations to implement the newly ratified Prevention of Gang and Other Serious Offences Act. 

The announcement was made by Prosecutor General Abbas Shareef following the ratification of the law by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu.

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According to Abbas, preparations to enforce the law began shortly after the initial draft bill was received. He confirmed that the regulations required under the new legislation are currently being developed, and relevant training programmes for staff—including personnel from the Maldives Police Service—are already underway.

In addition to internal preparations, the PG’s Office is also conducting public forums aimed at disseminating information and raising awareness about the scope and implications of the law.

The new legislation provides a comprehensive legal framework to combat gang-related and organised criminal activity. It introduces strict penalties and significantly expands the powers of law enforcement agencies. Key features of the Act include mechanisms to monitor high-risk individuals and provisions designed to prevent the recruitment of minors into criminal organisations.

Under the Act, law enforcement agencies are authorised to identify and track gangs and their affiliates, with the objective of weakening criminal networks and disrupting their operations. The law also permits the seizure of illicit assets and criminalises financial support for organised crime.

The Maldives Police Service and other enforcement agencies have been granted broader powers to conduct covert operations and controlled deliveries as part of targeted efforts to dismantle criminal syndicates. The recruitment of individuals into organised crime has been explicitly criminalised, carrying severe penalties.

Courts have also been empowered to declare wealth as unlawfully acquired if individuals associated with criminal groups are unable to prove the legitimacy of their assets, thereby allowing the state to confiscate such property.

The law includes provisions enabling police to stop, search, and arrest individuals suspected of organised criminal activity, weapons manufacturing, or illegal importation without prior judicial authorisation. Further protective measures have been introduced for individuals vulnerable to gang influence, including electronic monitoring through MoniCon Orders, which support broader supervision and rehabilitation strategies.

The Prevention of Gang and Other Serious Offences Act is scheduled to come into force within three months of its ratification.