Abu Dhabi Police make Dh500m from auctions

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Police has generated more than Dh500 million from 12 charity auctions since May 2007, a senior official told Gulf News.

Car number plate 40 fetched Dh3.85 million at the 12th auction conducted by Abu Dhabi Police in cooperation with Emirates Auction on Saturday at Emirates Palace, said Colonel Abdul Rahman M. Ali Al Kamali, Director of Administration of Privatisation and Financial Investments at Ministry of Interior.

"An Abu Dhabi businessman who did not want to be named purchased the number 40".

The official said number 17 was the second most expensive plate, purchased by another Abu Dhabi businessman for Dh2.805 million. He also did not want to disclose his name, said Al Kamali.

He said it was the last auction in 2008 and generated Dh21.755 million. "About 300 people bid for 90 numbers", he said.

Besides number 40 and 17, two other numbers were also sold with a price tag of Dh1 million and above, said the official. "Plate number 85 was sold for Dh1.7 million and 66666 for Dh1 million."

The other sought-after numbers were 900, sold for Dh700,000 and 70000, sold for Dh700,000, he added.

The 12 auctions since May 2007 has generated more than Dh500 million which will go to charity as announced by Lieutenant General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Interior. "The proceeds will go for establishing specialised hospital in Abu Dhabi for accident victims and the projects to support people with special needs, said the official.

Abu Dhabi police hold the world record of selling the most expensive number plate.

Licence plate '1' broke the world record at a whopping Dh52.2 million in fierce bidding in February 2008. Saeed Al Khouri, 25, an Abu Dhabi businessman, won the plate after a furious contest in the final stages of the auction.

He broke the record by paying more than double the previous record which went to number '5' that was sold for Dh25.2 million to his cousin Talal Ali Mohammad Khouri.