Dubai: Two women and a man have been fined Dh5,000 each for illegally promoting an oil used for weight loss via Instagram and BlackBerry Messenger, without permission from the health authorities.

A 64-year-old Syrian teacher, her 24-year-old son and a 36-year-old Emirati woman employee were said to have used Instagram and BlackBerry to promote oil and herbs used for weight loss and to promote makeup products illegally.

Health inspectors discovered that a woman [the teacher] had assumed a nickname and was promoting medical and cosmetic products via social media without licence.

Inspectors reported to Dubai Police that, according to several photos being promoted over Instagram, the aforementioned products were being arranged inside houses in an ‘unhygienic and unhealthy’ way.

Records said health inspectors also informed the police that the supposed products were being stored in inappropriate places and conditions and that selling such products would cause health risks to the public.

A policewoman posed as a buyer and contacted the Emirati woman, as part of a sting operation, then agreed to buy some oil products for weight loss for Dh2,550.

The supposed buyer [undercover policewoman] called the 36-year-old woman who asked the buyer to meet the 24-year-old son and collect the products from him in Al Twar.

Immediately after the son handed over the product to the policewoman, the 24-year-old was arrested as part of the sting operation.

When questioned by police interrogators, the defendant admitted that the Emirati woman promoted the products over social media meanwhile his mother [the teacher] made and stored the products at their home in Abu Dhabi.

Police referred the three defendants to prosecutors, who accused the trio of producing and trading in different substances without obtaining the proper permit from the UAE Health Ministry.

Upon searching the defendants’ homes, police confiscated BlackBerry phones that were being used to promote the products illegally.

The Syrian and Emirati defendants entered a not guilty plea when they defended themselves before the Dubai Misdemeanours Court.

Despite their not guilty plea, the court was convinced that the defendants had intended to make a quick profit through promoting the products without obtaining permission from the health authorities.

The court fined each of the defendants Dh5,000.

The ruling became final since the convicts paid the fine and did not appeal the judgement.