Two men accused at Dubai court of trying to sell $1 million in fake bank notes for Dh25,000

Italian and Cameroonian set up meeting with man who turned out to be a police informant, court hears.

DUBAI // Two men denied trying to sell almost US$1 million in fake banknotes but admitted having them, Dubai Criminal Court has heard.

Italian A M, 60, and his friend J A, 42, from Cameroon have been charged with possessing $915,100 (Dh3.3m) in fake notes and with attempting to fraudulently obtain Dh25,000 by selling them.

Policeman A A, 25, said that on April 7 a police informant met the Italian, who said his friend had the notes but they were covered in black ink and needed chemicals to clean them.

“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 the officer.

The two agreed to meet a few days later to complete the deal.

The Cameroonian met the informant at the Delmon Palace Hotel in Al Rigga, where he took the Dh25,000 and gave the signal to his accomplice to place the fake dollars in the informant’s car.

The pair were then arrested. Police said both confessed that they had tried to con the buyer.

“J A confessed that this was his activity and he had done it before, while A M’s role was to hunt for victims,” said the policeman.

The two confessed in court on Tuesday that they possessed the money but denied trying to sell it.

The next hearing is scheduled for July 15.