Dh1 billion in fake currency recovered in Dubai, 471 arrested

Dubai - The police also recorded 41 forgery cases and arrested 63 suspects in 2018.

Amira Agarib

Published: Sun 7 Apr 2019, 3:59 PM

Last updated: Sun 7 Apr 2019, 6:06 PM

The Dubai Police seized over a billion dirhams in counterfeit currency last year, a top officer revealed on Sunday. The police's anti-economic crimes division recorded 499 such cases and arrested 471 suspects.

Brigadier Jamal Salem Al Jallaf, director of the General Department of Criminal Investigation, said the department's anti-commercial fraud unit recorded 263 cases and 272 arrests in 2018, while its anti-fraud section recorded 104 cases and effected 136 arrests. The police also recorded 41 forgery cases and arrested 63 suspects in 2018.

The officer was speaking at a real estate security forum in Dubai that saw over 100 investors. The forum, which saw the participation of Major-General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of the Dubai Police, aimed at spreading awareness about the security challenges that the real estate sector faces. The forum also explored the risks the sector is exposed to due to increasing reliance on digital technologies, which play a vital role in business growth.

Brigadier Jamal said the Dubai Police are keen to create a secure and safe environment for investors. The police anticipate "future cyber crimes" and adopt measures to combat electronic crimes, he said.

E-patrols

The officer said the police have 12,630 electronic patrols, including 1,155 patrols to monitor fraudulent accounts, 376 to monitor defamatory accounts and 327 to track third-party impersonator accounts.

Brigadier Jamal said credit card fraud has increased "significantly", with the police receiving 170 complaints in 2018. The police arrested 28 suspects for this crime last year.