UAE police haul murder suspects off plane minutes before take-off from Dubai airport

The suspects tried to escape after allegedly killing a businessman and taking Dh100,000 from his apartment

The men were arrested at Dubai International Airport. Karim Sahib / AFP

Four men were arrested on suspicion of stabbing a businessman to death and stealing Dh100,000 from his apartment.

Three of the suspects were caught minutes before their flight took off from Dubai International Airport. The fourth was arrested in nearby Sharjah.

Officers from Dubai, Ajman and Sharjah police were involved in a hunt after the body of the unnamed 32-year-old was found in the residential building he owned in Al Rawda, Ajman.

Lt Col Ahmed Al Nuaimi, head of Ajman Police CID, said the men were tracked down and arrested within six hours.

He did not state the men's nationalities and only described them as Asian.

Officers were initially called to the man's home after the report of an incident and forced open the door when no one answered.

“They found the dead body of the man who had been stabbed to death," Lt Col Al Nuaimi said.

Police said the victim and his alleged killers both lived in the building in separate apartments. It was not stated whether the attackers knew their victim or not.

Officers did not release the suspects' identities or when the incident took place.

During questioning, the suspects admitted breaking into the man’s home and stealing cash, police said.

“He returned home while they were still there and they stabbed him and fled," the CID chief said.

The case was referred to public prosecutors in Ajman.