Dubai: Six men have been jailed for three years each for involving in a visa scam and flying in Asians with valid passports and then flying them out to Europe with forged visas.
A 33-year-old Afghan vendor, M.A., and a 37-year-old Pakistani employee, O.N., forged residency stamps on original passports, forged passports and forged two no-objection letters addressed to consulates in Dubai to have European visas stamped on the passports in November.
A 49-year-old Pakistani worker, M.K., and his countryman employee, M.S., a 39-year-old Bahraini businessman, M.H., and an Indian trader, V.K., cooperated with M.A. and O.N. and mediated between them and the Asian individuals [Afghans, Pakistanis and Indians] to obtain forged European visas for them against different payments.
The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the six defendants of forging official and unofficial papers and using them despite having pleaded not guilty.
Presiding judge Mohammad Jamal said the six accused will be deported following the completion of their punishments.
“All the forged travel documents and visas and forged stamps will be confiscated,” said presiding judge Jamal.
Records said the culprits forged Pakistani and British passports, UAE residency stamps and visas to several European countries.
A police lieutenant testified that an informant alerted them that M.A. had been forging passports and visas.
“Primary interrogations revealed that M.K. and M.H. were involved with M.A. in forging the visas and passports. We apprehended the defendants and obtained prosecutor’s permission to have their houses searched. We found two Georgian visas at M.K.’s house and a black bag in which we found M.H.’s passport. M.K. said M.A. had provided him with personal details to issue the Georgian visas. M.H. confirmed that he shared the accommodation with M.K. On searching M.S’s car we found a printer and a laptop that had been used in forging the documents,” he said.
Records said the remaining defendants were apprehended following further investigations.
A police officer said during questioning M.A. confessed that he used to fly in Asians to Dubai in a legal way using their original passport.
“Then he would arrange with his accomplice, named Malek, based in Vienna, to forge visas to European countries for a Dh5,500 commission. He also claimed that other defendants aided and abetted him. He said immediately after processing the European visas he would accompany the individuals to the airport and hand them their passports and plane tickets. M.A. admitted that he had a European visa stamped on a forged British passport and dropped the bearer of the passport to the airport to travel to Germany. O.N. claimed during questioning that his friend in Pakistan used to help him issue the forged European visas and his share was Dh7,400 per visa,” claimed the officer.
Tuesday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.