DUBAI // Six men were sentenced to three years in prison each by Dubai Criminal Court for forging visit visas to European countries.
One, a 33-year-old Afghan, worked as a spare-parts salesman. He used middlemen for the operation in which clients from his home country and India travelled to Dubai using valid passports and visas. They were provided with accommodation while he forged the visas.
He was arrested by police following a tip-off and confessed about his involvement with five others. He also had assistance from a man in Austria.
Officers found forged British and Afghan passports. He denied forging visas to Germany, Turkey, Austria and South Korea.
Another member of the gang, a 37-year-old Pakistani, denied forging two visa application letters to the Turkish embassy.
The four other men, two Pakistanis, an Indian and a Bahraini, aged 35 to 49, also denied aiding and abetting.
All six were convicted and will each spend three years in jail. They will be deported after they have served their sentences.
salamir@thenational.ae
