A man was caught out smuggling three million euros of counterfeit cash inside a suitcase at Dubai International Airport, a court heard.
The Pakistani traveller had landed in the UAE on a flight from Italy when thousands of fake bank notes were discovered during a search.
The 51-year-old insisted he did not know he was carrying the illegal currency – saying he had been handed the luggage to carry by another man.
When questioned by police, he provided them with the name of the man who had given him the cash-filled case and a 36-year-old compatriot was tracked down and arrested.
Both men denied a charge of smuggling fake banknotes with an intention to sell at Dubai Criminal Court.
An Emirati customs inspector said the counterfeit cash was found after the luggage was scanned at about 2.30am on July 29.
“We opened it and found Euros which we suspected were counterfeit,” said the 31-year-old Emirati inspector.
The case was searched manually and thousands of 500 euro notes were found, which inspectors suspected to be fake.
The man was held and the currency – totalling €2.915 million (Dh12.25 million) – was sent for testing, where it was found to be fake.
The man told prosecutors he unwittingly brought the money into the country.
"A man gave me the bags to carry to Dubai and I didn't even know or ask why," said the defendant.
The next hearing is due to be held on November 4.
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Company profile
Company name: Ogram
Started: 2017
Founders: Karim Kouatly and Shafiq Khartabil
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: On-demand staffing
Number of employees: 50
Funding: More than $4 million
Funding round: Series A
Investors: Global Ventures, Aditum and Oraseya Capital
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Company Profile
Name: HyveGeo
Started: 2023
Founders: Abdulaziz bin Redha, Dr Samsurin Welch, Eva Morales and Dr Harjit Singh
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Number of employees: 8
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COMPANY PROFILE
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1. Labour productivity is lower than the average of the developed economies, particularly in the non-tradable industries.
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5. A need to upgrade and expand physical infrastructure, particularly mass transit infrastructure.
6. The poverty rate at more than double the OECD average.
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Courtesy: Carol Glynn
Married Malala
Malala Yousafzai is enjoying married life, her father said.
The 24-year-old married Pakistan cricket executive Asser Malik last year in a small ceremony in the UK.
Ziauddin Yousafzai told The National his daughter was ‘very happy’ with her husband.
COMPANY PROFILE
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tottenham 0-1 Ajax, Tuesday
Second leg
Ajax v Tottenham, Wednesday, May 8, 11pm
Game is on BeIN Sports
