Three Maldivian men have been arrested and remanded under the new Prevention of Gang and Other Serious Offences Act, which came into force at the end of August.

The Criminal Court confirmed on Thursday that the suspects are Ibrahim Zaidhan, 22, Ahmed Navaz, 30, Malé, and Mohamed Shidhaadh, 22, Laamu Maabaidhoo.

According to the court’s remand orders, police submitted incident and intelligence reports, crime scene photos, and images of two knives seized at the scene. The suspects claimed the knives had been hidden in an inconspicuous location, but the court ruled their defence was contradicted by photographic evidence.

As a result, Zaidhan and Shidhaadh were remanded for 15 days, while Navaz was ordered to remain in custody for 30 days.

The Prevention of Gang and Other Serious Offences Act, passed by Parliament on 15 May, gives law enforcement agencies expanded powers to curb organised crime. The law allows police to conduct searches and make arrests without a court warrant, hold suspects for up to 48 hours without access to legal representation, and deny parole to offenders convicted of serious crimes.