Man fined for illegal drinking after throwing Dh500 notes out of Dubai taxi

A drunk man celebrated receiving a cash transfer of Dh250,000 by tearing up Dh500 notes with two companions in Dubai.

DUBAI // A drunk man celebrated receiving Dh250,000 in cash by tearing up Dh500 notes and throwing them out of his taxi's window, a court heard today.

A?O, 44, from Sudan, began by throwing cash at his two female companions M?J, 32, also from Sudan, and S?M, 44, from Eritrea, who got in the taxi with him after a drinking session at a hotel bar.

He then began tearing up Dh500 notes and throwing the shreds out of the window.

"I don't even remember tearing up the money, I was too drunk," the man told investigators, adding that he had received the Dh250,000 cash transfer from Sudan that day.

Prosecutors told the Misdemeanours Court that the taxi driver suspected the trio were drunk.

"When he started tearing money and throwing it at them, I reported them," said the driver S?M, 35, from Bangladesh, who had picked them up about 3am on November 25 last year near Deira City Centre.

All three were charged with illegally drinking alcohol. The two women were also charged with living in the country illegally. The women confessed to the charges, while the man was not present in court.

The court convicted the three of all charges and fined them Dh2,000 each. The two women will be deported.