Dubai: A cleaner was jailed for three years and ordered to pay a hefty fine of Dh50,000 for possessing 200,000 Euros in counterfeited banknotes for trading purposes.
The Dubai Court of First Instance incriminated the 35-year-old Bangladeshi cleaner, M.K., of possessing counterfeited currency and using 12 counterfeited banknotes of the 200 Euro bill that he submitted to a local bank to convert it to Dirhams.
“The defendant has been sentenced in absentia. He will pay a Dh50,000 fine and be deported following the completion of his jail term,” said the presiding judge in courtroom four yesterday.
Prosecutors accused M.K. of possessing counterfeited banknotes and using them.
A Filipina bank teller testified that she was on duty when the cleaner visited her counter wanting to convert Euros to Dirhams.
“The defendant arrived at my counter at Dubai International Airport. He seemed confident, was not confused, and didn’t seem scared. He handed me 2200 euros and asked to convert them to dirhams. When I saw the banknotes, I realized that they were obviously counterfeited. I told my colleague, who immediately confirmed that it was counterfeited. Our supervisor reported the matter to the police that came and arrested the accused,” the Filipina claimed.
