DUBAI // A woman has been locked up after being found guilty of offering a Dubai customs inspector a Dh10,000 bribe in return for approving paperwork related to a container that was being held at Rashid Port.
JS, 33, from China, offered the money to inspector AA in October last year in return for accepting the papers and not referring the matter to customs, prosecutors told Dubai Criminal Court on Thursday.
“I know her through work and she had previously received containers that were meeting regulations but in October last year she came asking about one of her containers and said that it was withheld by customs,” testified AA.
He added that JS asked him for his phone number so that she could call and ask about the container. On October 22, he said she sent him an SMS asking for his help.
“She told me she would need my help and would highly appreciate it,” said AA, who found the following phone calls and texts he received from JS to be suspicious, so alerted his supervisor.
On October 27, JS called AA and asked to meet him at a hotel where she offered him the money in return for finalising the paperwork.
AA agreed to accept the money as part of a sting operation set up by police. JS was arrested after the money had changed hands.
JS was sentenced to three months in jail. She will be deported after completing her sentence.
tzriqat@thenational.ae
