Police arrest gang of five trying to sell counterfeit dollars

Dubai: Police have arrested a gang of five men for planning to circulate a large amount of counterfeit US dollars and trying to sell it.

Dubai Police's Department of Combating Economic Crimes had received tip-off about an African gang who sells large amounts of US dollars.

The department formed a team to follow up the gang members and set up a trap to arrest them red-handed.

One of the CID sources was able to meet a gang member at Naif and discussed with him circulating the counterfeit dollars. During the meeting, the source asked the gang member for a sample of the dollars that need to be sold.

The member handed him a counterfeit $100 as a sample. The sources agreed with the suspect on another appointment to buy the amount of counterfeit dollars. The note was accurately counterfeited in a way that made it difficult for a normal person to recognise them.

The police source met two of the suspects on the second appointment and agreed on buying counterfeit dollars worth $500,000. The suspects handed him two samples of the money. They set the price of the first note of $100 at Dh110 and the second at Dh60. On May 25, one of the African men carrying a plastic bag arrived at a pre-determined cafe after confirming the police source had brought Dh400,000.

After the completion of the operation, the CID raided the place and arrested the suspects and another one who was monitoring outside the hotel. Police seized counterfeit notes of value $500,000.

Police arrested three African men and two Arab men and raided their residence at one of the villas in Al Manama area. Police found counterfeit $130,000 and 16 bottles containing unknown liquids.