DUBAI // A female visitor denied smuggling fake currency and attempting to use it to shop at a duty free store, a Dubai court heard this morning.
The suspect KM, 44, from New Zealand, told the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance that she did not know the US dollars she had were fake.
Prosecutors said that on November 11, 2010, the woman arrived at Dubai International Airport for a visit to the UAE.
While she was shopping at the arrivals Duty Free Zone, KM purchased five HTC mobile phones, an earpiece and a mobile phone charger worth US$1,900 (Dh6,979), court records said.
Prosecutors said the suspect paid the saleswoman with $100 notes. The saleswoman tried to slide the bills under the scanner to register the sale, and it identified them as fake.
Prosecutors said the saleswoman, identified as RJ, 28, repeated the scanning process several times, using different scanners, and each time they were shown to be fake.
RJ informed her superior, who came to the shop, looked over the money and called police, records showed.
When police arrested KM, she denied knowing the bills were fake. Police found 102 fake notes in her possession, records showed.
Police said in court records that during the investigation, the suspect confessed to possessing fake currency but denied attempting to use or distribute it.
A forensics report separately confirmed the bills were fake.
KM's defence lawyer asked to cross-examine RJ.
The court will reconvene on March 28 to listen to her testimony.
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Engine: 5.6-litre V8
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The Bio
Favourite place in UAE: Al Rams pearling village
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Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
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Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
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The specs: McLaren 600LT
Price, base: Dh914,000
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 600hp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 620Nm @ 5,500rpm
Fuel economy 12.2.L / 100km
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