Home Ministry Reports 83 Gangs Operating in Maldives, Involving 97 Children

Ministry of Homeland Security & Technology has revealed that there are currently 83 gangs operating across the Maldives, with 97 children identified as being involved in these groups.

The information was disclosed during a programme on SanguTV, where Deputy Home Minister Mohamed Shaheed explained that the figures were compiled following discussions between the Home Ministry, the Prosecutor General’s Office, and the Maldives Police Service. After the meeting, the police shared statistics outlining the scale of gang activity in the country.

advertisement

advertisement

advertisement

According to the data, the 83 gangs collectively have more than 3,500 active members. Of these, 45 gangs operate within Malé City alone, comprising 85 children and over 2,500 members. In the atolls, 31 gangs are currently active, involving 10 children and more than 1,000 individuals.

Authorities have expressed concern over the extent of gang involvement in a country with a relatively small population. The presence of thousands of individuals in criminal environments is viewed as a serious threat to national stability.

The Home Ministry noted that gang activity in the Maldives has evolved beyond street violence, with groups now engaging in more complex criminal operations. These include large-scale drug trafficking in collaboration with international networks. Alarmingly, children are increasingly being used to transport and sell drugs, taking advantage of the legal age of criminal responsibility.

Shaheed stated that those involved in running gangs must be held accountable and urged society to work together to prevent the recruitment of future generations into criminal groups.