Three held for fake currency

SHARJAH // Three men have been arrested with US$20 million in fake US$1 bills which they allegedly used as part of a con trick, police said.

Sharjah CID were tipped off about three African men in possession of large amounts of fake dollars. Officers identified the men and arrested them in their apartment in Al Nahda.

As well as the fake bills police found a quantity of real euros and US dollars.

Two of the men were in the UAE on visit visas while the third worked in a supermarket in the emirate. They admitted to conning people using the fake money.

Colonel Ibrahim Misbah, director of CID, said the men would contact merchants and business owners and persuade them to hand over thousands of dirhams with promises of doubling their money.

“The gang wanted to steal as much money as possible from their victims before exiting the country,” Said Col Misbah, adding some victims did not report the crime to authorities out of shame or fear of being ridiculed.

He urged the public to be wary of such scams and to alert the police immediately.