Dubai thwarts international criminal schemes involved in money laundering crimes worth more than 641 million dirhams

As part of the United Arab Emirates’ continued efforts to combat cross-border organized crime in all its forms, including money laundering crimes, and its keenness to firmly address this type of crime, the authorities in Dubai were able to thwart two criminal schemes involved in money laundering crimes worth $641. One million UAE dirhams.

The Dubai authorities, in cooperation with the federal authorities, succeeded in dismantling a major international network involved in the possession of illicit funds worth 461 million dirhams. The network included an Emirati person and two companies owned by him, 21 Britons, two defendants of American nationality, and an accused of Czech nationality.

Investigations revealed that money was smuggled from the United Kingdom into the UAE using the two aforementioned companies as fronts to hide the illegal sources of that money, while the network used forged documents that it submitted to customs checkpoints in Dubai to release the cash amounts that the defendants claimed were the proceeds of legitimate commercial activities in UK.

The Public Prosecution referred all defendants, in their personal and legal capacities, to the Criminal Court in Dubai Courts, where they will be charged with possession of funds from unknown and suspicious sources and forgery of official documents and their use.

Crimes worth 180 million dirhams

In another important security achievement, the Dubai Center for Economic Security, in coordination with the Public Funds Prosecution in Dubai, was able to thwart a money laundering scheme run by an international criminal gang that runs money laundering operations using digital currencies, as security efforts resulted in the arrest of a number of individuals involved and large sums of money and assets that were used. In illegal activities associated with those operations.

The Dubai Public Prosecution referred the case, which includes a network of 30 people and three companies, to the competent money laundering department of the Dubai Courts. The network had carried out complex money laundering operations worth 180 million UAE dirhams using digital currencies from various locations in the United Kingdom and Dubai.

The Dubai Center for Economic Security, in coordination with the Public Funds Prosecution, succeeded in disrupting the network, which investigations revealed had laundered cash in the United Kingdom through unlicensed digital currency brokers located in Britain and Dubai.

The main accused were identified as two Indians and a British national, who were behind the scheme that included proceeds from illegal activities, including drug trafficking, fraud and tax evasion in the United Kingdom. Successful coordination between all relevant agencies resulted in the arrest of the accused and the freezing of the bank accounts used in Money laundering activities.

His Excellency Counselor Essam Issa Al Humaidan, Attorney General of the Emirate of Dubai, praised the great success in thwarting these two schemes, which came as a result of exemplary coordination between the various concerned parties, as the coordination included the Public Funds Prosecution in Dubai, the Dubai Center for Economic Security, and the Anti-Money Laundering Department of the Dubai Police. The UAE Financial Information Unit, Dubai Customs, and the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Justice.

His Excellency praised the high professionalism that distinguished this operation, by collecting all evidence and tracking suspicious funds, which resulted in the uncovering of complex schemes in which these two criminal networks were involved, stressing that Dubai and the UAE are keen to confront with full force all forms of organized crime, most notably laundering crimes. Money, and that all agencies are fully carrying out their duties to ensure the elimination of all forms of these crimes in a way that contributes to protecting the UAE economy from their negative repercussions and supporting international efforts. In confronting such crimes, with their serious effects on the global economy.