DUBAI // A jobless man and his friend found guilty of possessing fake banknotes with a face value of about US$500,000 failed in their appeal against their sentences.
The Cameroonian men, aged 33 and 39, in May denied possessing counterfeit notes supposedly worth $427,000 (Dh1.56m) and attempted fraud but were found guilty and each sentenced to two years in jail by Dubai Criminal Court.
The pair were arrested on March 23 after trying to convince a man to give them money so they could afford to remove black paint from the counterfeit notes.
They claimed they needed the money to ship the damaged currency from Cameroon to the UAE and to buy a special liquid that would remove the paint without damaging the notes, after which they would pay him back.
The man reported them to police and they were arrested with fake notes in their possession.
In addition to their incarceration, the pair were fined Dh10,000 each and will be deported after being released from prison.
salamir@thenational.ae