DUBAI // Two tourists have been sentenced to three years in jail for attempting to sell nearly US$1 million in fake bank notes.
Italian AM, 60, and his Cameroonian friend JA, 42, were charged with possessing $915,100 in fake notes and trying to sell them for Dh25,000 to a man who turned out to be a police informant.
The pair confessed at Dubai Criminal Court in June to possessing the fake money but denied attempting to sell it.
Policeman AA, 25, testified that on April 7, an informant met with the Italian, who told him that his friend had $1m but they were painted in black and they needed a chemical to remove the paint.
“He told the informant that the chemical substance would clean the black paint without damaging the dollars, then agreed with him to give him the dollars in return for Dh25,000,” said AA, adding that they agreed to meet a few days later.
Prosecutors said that the Cameroonian met the police informant at Delmon Palace Hotel, in Al Rigga. They said the accused took the Dh25,000 and gave a sign to his accomplice to put the fake bills in the informant’s car. The pair were then arrested.
Police said they both confessed to their scam in custody but they denied trying to sell the fake notes in court.
“JA confessed that this was his activity and he had done it before, while AM’s role was to hunt for victims,” testified the policeman.
The court found them guilty and each was sentenced to three years and fined Dh50,000. Both will be deported after completing their jail terms. However, the sentence remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
salamir@thenational.ae
