The head of Dubai's customs department Dr Obaid Saqr Busit and two of his top aides have been arrested accused of corruption. A statement, issued by the Administrative Anti-Corruption Unit, said the three had been arrested following a two year investigation.

The investigation had been instigated by General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Minister of Defence. It was Sheikh Mohammed who ordered the arrest of the three, along with three Pakistani nationals.

Those arrested with Busit, Director General of Dubai's Ports and Customs Department were named as Ali Hassan Foulath, Director of Hamriya Port and Customs Centre, Khalifa Ali bin Ghilaita, Director of the Dubai Customs Automobile Zone, and Pakistanis Abdul Nabi Bankash Haji Ghulum, Shahid and Iqbal.

The statement said the accused had abused their positions to illegally amass large amounts of money. The sum involved amounted to "tens of millions of dirhams." All the money had been recovered the statement added.

According to the Administrative Corruption Unit Sheikh Mohammed ordered the arrest of Busit and the others after being shown clear evidence of their corruption. Sheikh Mohammed has ordered that once the investigation is complete the Public Prosecution Department should make all the necessary arrangements to take the allegations to court.

The statement added that other government officials "are under observation in an effort to discover if they are also involved in corruption."

Scrutiny

The following is the statement issued by the Administrative Anti-Corruption Unit:

"The Administrative Anti-Corruption Unit has arrested a number of corrupt officials, who took advantage of their positions for their personal benefit and for the purpose of illegal wealth.

"For more scrutiny about this matter General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Dubai Crown Prince, Minister of Defence and Chairman of Police and Public Security, has ordered an intensive investigation and deductions and the collection of all evidence and data linked to those involved in this crime, based on the keenness of His Highness to punish only those involved. "According to the directives of Sheikh Mohammed the accused had been put under observation for two years, during which period the cell managed to confirm evidence of their involvement in corruption.

"The involved should have been the guardians of right, protectors of the public interest, the vigilant eye for any bad behaviour and wrong doing. "Since no one supersedes the law, Sheikh Mohammed ordered them to be arrested and investigated to uncover all the details of the case and to be referred to the Public Prosecution department to complete the legal procedures.

"The Administrative Anti-Corruption Unit, which has many branches in all government departments, calls on all officials to fear God, to be honest in exercising their government assignments and not to favour anyone at the expense of the public interest."

The Administrative Anti-Corruption Unit was created by Sheikh Mohammed to fight corruption in all government departments established in Dubai emirate. The unit reports directly to Sheikh Mohammed.