AJMAN // Fourteen members of a human trafficking and prostitution ring have been sentenced after undercover police officers arranged to "buy" a 20-year-old Asian woman in a sting operation.
The Ajman appeals court sentenced all 14, including four women, to between three months and three years in prison for their part in bringing the woman, ABL, to the UAE and forcing her into prostitution.
According to court records, the gang was caught after the woman sent a message to her relatives back home, who then informed police.
A police report stated the group brought ABL to the UAE with the promise of a good job. After meeting her at the airport, her passport was confiscated and she was taken to a villa in Ajman and made to work as a prostitute.
After being tipped off by the woman's relatives, CID officers contacted a female pimp, identified as GR, who was part of the gang. She told officers they could keep ABL for two days if they paid Dh5,000.
After negotiating a price of Dh4,500 and insisting on paying in cash instead of by wire transfer, the undercover officers arranged to meet the pimp's driver to hand over the money.
The driver, identified as Babu, was arrested and led police to the villa where ABL and several other women were being held.
All 14 members of the gang will be deported after serving their sentences.
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
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Sector: E-commerce
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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