Fake currency and cheques seized in Dubai

Dubai: Customs officials announced on Wednesday that they blocked 18 attempts to smuggle fake cheques, counterfeit currency and fake credit cards during the first 10 months of 2012.

During inspections at Cargo Village, Dubai Customs discovered forged cheques, banknotes, tourist cheques, carbonic papers and credit cards hidden in a shipment and parcels that came from African, Asian and European countries in to the country.

“We confiscated 5,357 cheques, including 3,116 blank cheques, 2,241 cheques with a value equivalent to Dh14 million,” said Ahmad Lahej, Director of Air Customs Centres at Dubai Customs.

The seizure also contained 473 counterfeited travel cheques worth a value of US $461,000 (D1.7 million), fake credit cards that allegedly belonged to international banks, fake banknotes worth $40,000 (Dh147,000), five million Iraqi dinars (Dh15,700), 1,000 Libyan dinars (Dh2000) and carbon papers with value of $37,000 (Dh136,000).

Lahej explained that Customs inspectors are vital in protecting the local markets from the entry of fake currency, as they were smuggled with the intention to deceive individuals, companies and commercial shops.

He also noted that Dubai Customs carry out inspections on a regular basis to protect the economic growth of the emirate and support legitimate trade.

“We are continuously developing the skills of inspectors to find out the innovate methods used by smugglers, particularly those who use advanced technology in forgery operations,” said Lahej, stressing that shops are used to receiving traveller’s cheques during the holiday season, and may be easily fooled.