Man swindles Dh4m using fake passport

Dubai: An Emirati whose passport was confiscated forged a Yemeni passport and swindled people of more than Dh4 million, police said yesterday.

Hadi Omar Saeed Omar, 32, who was wanted for swindling a number of car showroom owners, was arrested by Syrian Interpol and deported back to the UAE.

The Al Ain resident used the fake Yemeni passport to swindle people as his UAE passport was being held at the Presidential Court for previous financial fraud.

But Hadi managed to get a Yemeni passport after paying Dh15,000, police said.

He came back to the UAE on the fake passport under the name Hadi Omar Saleh Al Braiki and swindled car rental showrooms and people who wished to sell their cars through newspaper advertisements.

Advance payment

He usually made a small advance payment on the cars he bought and vanished. The suspect was arrested by Syrian Interpol after his name was circulated in February, Brigadier Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Director of the Dubai Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID), said. He said Hadi started his criminal career in 2001 after resigning from his job in a government department where he worked for eight years.

He started by issuing dud cheques for small amounts, but soon was wanted in 127 cases. Hadi was wanted by several emirates for fake cheques amounting to more than Dh4 million.

Brigadier Al Mazeina said the suspect first rented cars from rental agencies and disappeared with them. He also bought cars from car showrooms and residents and issued dud cheques.

He sold the cars through sale papers unapproved by the traffic department and which he had got from car showrooms.

After stealing the cars he took them to Oman and then to Yemen where the cars were sold. Hadi targeted only certain models of cars like BMW and Mercedes, Hummer, Toyota Land Cruiser, Porsche, Mitsubishi four-wheelers and Toyota Corolla. He is also wanted in another 69 cases.

"Hadi had rented an apartment in Syria and had gone there nine times. He was carrying $7,200, Saudi riyals 51,200, Dh1,000 and 41,000 Yemeni riyals when he was arrested.

"He was brought back to the country on March 26," Brigadier Al Mazeina said.

He said this is the first time an Emirati has used a fake passport to escape the payment of his dues, despite government efforts to help him.