Dubai: Three Iranian suspects, who are charged with resisting police arrest, unlawfully possessing pistols, ammunition and liquor, and infiltration, will be referred to the court soon, Gulf News learnt on Wednesday.

Dubai prosecutors are currently questioning the three Iranians, 25-year-old AH, 28-year-old AG and 26-year-old AD, who allegedly used two pistols while carrying out armed robberies at exchange houses in Sharjah. Dubai police arrested them in a flat in Dubai.

"The Dubai Public Prosecution is currently waiting for Dubai Police Criminal Laboratory's report on the examination of the pistols and ammunition which were seized in the suspects' possession. My clients, AH and AD, admitted their charges when they were questioned by the police. However they denied their charges when they were questioned by prosecutors," advocate Mohammad Abdullah Al Reda told Gulf News yesterday.

Senior prosecution sources told Gulf News that the suspects were detained in Naif Police station pending investigation.

"The suspects are placed under provisional detention, which was recently extended by a Dubai Court judge until April 1. They have been detained since February 10. After the conclusion of investigations, prosecutors will decide whether to issue the arraignment sheet before referring the case to the Dubai Court of First Instance," said the source.

Seriousness of crime

Major General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Deputy Director of Dubai Police, announced earlier that the seriousness of the crime, involving weapons, demanded a swift investigation by Dubai police.

Police said the armed robberies were committed by the suspects. No one was injured in the two robberies or during the arrests.

"The suspects have a criminal record and were deported more than once," a police official said earlier.

"AH worked for Dubai Police… when he became jobless he was exploited, due to his relations with bad friends. He has denied any wrongdoing since prosecutors started questioning him," said Al Reda.

A police officer said earlier: "The masked gunmen did not use their smuggled guns on the public … They were used as threatening tools. They only fired on the ceiling as they approached the stores and on the surveillance cameras."

Three investigative teams worked on the case. The suspects were arrested following a tip-off from a police informant. They also allegedly robbed a car and a motor bike to carry out their crimes.

Police officials did not specify the amount stolen from the exchange houses but it is estimated to be worth millions of dirhams.