Gang loots investor; police nab them in 48hrs

DUBAI — A gang of African suspects, who looted an Arab investor, was taken into custody within 48 hours, according to the Dubai Police.

The Dubai Police arrested the gang comprising 10 Cameroon nationals and recovered Dh3.6 million they took from the Jordanian investor in coordination with the UAE Ministry of Interior and Oman authorities.

Reacting to the incident, Lt-Gen Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy Chairman of Police and General Security in Dubai, has praised the efforts and professionalism of Dubai Police officials and urged the public to be careful while transporting money and exchanging currencies. He added that the police managed to arrest them despite that they hadn’t left traces or evidence.

Disclosing the details of the incident, Major-General Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansouri, Assistant Commander-in-Chief for criminal investigation affairs, said that the Dubai Police received an information about the theft in a hotel in Deira on February 15.

Soon, officials from Murraqabat Police Station rushed to the crime scene and found the Arab investor who told them about the way the gang vanished with his money.

According to the investor, he met the African gang who told him that they have dollars and he agreed to exchange Dh3.6million into US dollars with them.

The Jordanian then went to an exchange office in Deira and told the money exchange officials that an Omani investor introduced the Africans to him, who offered to give dollars in return of dirhams. Three exchange officials accompanied him to the hotel room as the Jordanian investor told them that the African gang had produced no ID proof or other documents.

When the investor and exchange staff entered the room, they were stunned to see five tall, well-built men who started beating them up. The suspects allegedly tied them up and wrapped their mouth with plaster. A cleaner found them after one hour and informed the police. The investor said that he has no relation with the suspects and he just agreed with him through a fake broker who made the deal between the two parties against taking commission. The police immediately formed a team and launched an investigation. The seven suspects were arrested very easily. The other three suspects have fled the country and reached Oman. So the police coordinated with Omani authorities with the help of Ministry of Interior and arrested the three and recovered the money.

Major-Gen. Al Mansouri said that the gang divided the money among them after committing the crime and planned to leave the country in a smart way. But their attempt was foiled because of cooperation with the police authorities in Oman.