DUBAI: An Arab gang accused of stealing luxury cars valued at 11.8 million dirhams and then smuggled them out of the UAE was arrested by Dubai police.
According to police, the gang would rent some vehicles from local rental agencies and then drive them overland to a neighboring Arab country where they would be sold.
The gang members allegedly managed to smuggle 46 new vehicles out of the country. According to a police official, investigators received a tip-off about the gang’s activities from an informer.
The ring leader lived in the neighboring emirate of Ajman. On arrest, police found in his possession documents proving he received 11.8 million dirhams in payment for the vehicles.
Police found forged documents and 34 car ownership certificates in his possession. Six other gang members were arrested later.
Police also arrested a four-member gang for smuggling vehicles out of the country. One of the men, a Pakistani who carried two forged passports, had set up a transportation company and arranged for banks to purchase 17 new utility vehicles for him.
He then contacted a Syrian national who arranged two buyers. The buyers, both Iraqi nationals, forged bank letters unfreezing the loans to ease the export of the vehicles to Iraq. The gang was, however, arrested before being able to smuggle the vehicles out of the country.
