A woman who helped police set up a sting operation to catch three black magic practitioners was also arrested when it was discovered she herself practised black magic.
The woman, an illegal resident, reported her three friends to police as an act of revenge, said Col Salem Sultan Al Darmaki, the head of Ras Al Khaimah CID yesterday.
Police arrested the three Arab women in their apartment where they were found with an Emirati man, spices and liquids used in black magic, alcohol and tissue with human sperm.
Police believed these items were mixed to make a “magic” potion.
The informer was then arrested when it was revealed that she was also a “sorcerer”.
All four women confessed that they had used black magic for “a long time” to trick people out of their money, police reported.
Men and women of several nationalities requested the women’s help for financial and relationship problems.
Police did not disclose how much the women, who were in their 20s and 30s, charged.
It is believed that they operated for a period of at least two years in the Nakheel area of RAK by word of mouth.
One of the women worked in a perfume shop and another worked at a shisha cafe.
The case has been referred to Public Prosecution.
Police have warned youths not to be deceived by false promises of black magic.
“If you want happiness and a good life you must go to pray and look to the Quran,” said Lt Thaer Al Najjar of RAK police.
A recent Friday sermon warned that sorcerers are "immoral" and "vicious" and that the prayers of Muslims who seek help from them will be annulled.
azacharias@thenational.ae