Fake gemstone traders nabbed in joint police operation

 

ABU DHABI: The Anti-Economic Crimes teams of the General Directorate of the Criminal Investigations of the Dubai Police, in co-ordination with Abu Dhabi Police, arrested a gang of three South-African suspects who were fraudulently selling fake gemstones, claiming that they were original. 

According to Lt Colonel Salah Bu Asiba, Director of the Anti-Economic Department, two gangsters deluded victims by selling them fake gemstones and saying that a European trader wanted to buy them if they did not complete the purchase swiftly. The European trader was none other than their third African partner.

Bu Asiba stated that the department received a tipoff from an Asian businessman early in September, reporting that he was swindled by two African nationals who sold him fake gemstones. When he reportedly examined the gemstones, he found out that they were pebbles and glass.

Bu Asiba added that a team of criminal investigators was formed on receiving the tip-off. 

One of the teams impersonated a trader who wanted to buy gemstones and monitored the two suspects to trap them. Investigations proved that the gang targeted shipping companies to lure their employees, after persuading them that they wanted to ship goods to Africa. When they met the employees, they offered to sell them gemstones at low prices. 

Bu Asiba indicated that the team of investigators contacted some people who were offered to buy the gemstones and got information from them about the gang.  The undercover police agent contacted the gangsters telling them that there was a person who wanted to buy a big amount of gemstones. He reportedly agreed with them to meet near a trading centre in Dubai, in the Al Refaa area.

The agent headed to the place and met one of the gang members, while the teams raided the place and arrested them. Policemen headed to the hotel where they stayed and searched their room. The other two suspects left the hotel but were arrested later while they attempted to flee from Abu Dhabi. They were referred to Dubai Police for interrogation. 

The first suspect confessed that he, along with the second suspect, offered fake gemstones to victims and gave them pieces of pebbles and glass, claiming that they were original gemstones. They confessed to dividing the money among themselves.

 

 

Source: http://gulftoday.ae/portal/6846b710-9e16-4b7a-8228-04ad90392084.aspx