Four accused of Dh103,000 Dubai customs tax fraud

DUBAI // Four men used forged documents showing goods imported into Dubai had been re-exported from Sharjah to illegally reclaim more than Dh103,000 in customs tax, a court was told.

AD, 25, from Syria; KA, 28, an Emirati customs inspector at Khalid Port in Sharjah; MM, a Jordanian shipping company owner; and NH, a sea shipping mediator, are accused in the Criminal Court of First Instance of forging official documents, using them to defraud, and offering and soliciting bribes. They deny the charges.

Prosecutors say AD and KA forged 150 certificates presented to Sharjah customs at Khalid Port to re-export the goods and claim back the five per cent tax from Dubai Customs. The forged documents included exit certificates stamped by the Sharjah Seaports and Customs Department saying the goods were inspected and approved for export. KA provided the stamp and sold the stamped certificates to AD for Dh150 each, and AD offered KA a Dh22,500 bribe for his part in the scam, prosecutors say.

NH helped in forging the documents and MM presented them to Dubai Customs employees to reclaim the tax he had paid, the court was told.

Prosecutors say AD and NH took 30 per cent of the reclaimed tax money and M M took the rest and kept the goods, the nature of which was not disclosed. The next hearing was set for February 21.