Dubai Police has arrested a three-member gang of South Africans selling fake gemstones.
Lieutenent Salah Buasebh, director of the police unit combating economic crimes, said two members of the gang would show photographs of real gemstones along with fake stones to customers. They would claim that they are selling at low prices because they need money to travel.
At that time, the third member of the gang would appear on the scene saying that a European dealer is interested in buying a large quantity of their gems. He would do this to push the customer to make a quick decision to buy.
The police had got a tip-off from an Asian businessman who claimed to have been cheated of Dh150,000 by a gang of two Africans and a European-looking man.
Police investigators concluded that the gang was targeting shipping companies after saying that they are interested in shipping goods to Africa.
A policeman, posing as a gem dealer, approached the gang and a member of the gang was arrested at the time and place of their meeting.
On interrogation, he revealed that his partners were staying in another hotel. The police followed him to the hotel but when they reached there his partners had already left.
Dubai Police then alerted all the exit points of the UAE. Abu Dhabi Police arrested the other two members of the gang while trying to escape from the UAE.
Police said there were 61 swindling cases involving 86 accused and about Dh20 million in the past eight months.
Singapore, Indonesia tussle over haze problem
Indonesia continues to try to put out forest fires in Sumatra as the resulting smog and air pollutant levels anger the
Comments