Duo dupe Dubai trader with fake dollars, pocket Dh200,000 

Dubai - The case dates back to April 2 in Al Muraqqabat.

Two men allegedly defrauded an Indian businessman of Dh200,000 after one of them falsely claimed to him that he had $100,000 which he could not convert into the local currency because he did not have a proof he legally earned it, a Dubai court has heard.
The duo from Cameroon - one of them is a fugitive - duped the victim after one of them called him asking for help by lending him Dh200,000 and in return, the businessman would keep the $100,000 with him as a security deposit until he could arrange for the required documents. 
The case dates back to April 2 in Al Muraqqabat.
The public prosecution records show the two defendants met the victim and his friend at a hotel in Deira. One of them was carrying a briefcase (containing counterfeit notes) from which he took out two packets of $100. This made the victims believe their claims that they had brought the cash and give them Dh200,000.  
The two accused have been charged at the Court of First Instance with possession of fake notes for circulation and fraud. The fugitive, 35, is being tried in absentia.
The 25-year-old Indian businessman, who fell victim to the pair, said during investigation that he got a call from an African man. "He said he got my number from one of his friends. He claimed he had $100,000 which he could not convert into dirhams because he did not hold papers that justified how he earned it. He wanted my help by lending him Dh200,000 and for that he would deposit the $ sum which he would take back once he got the needed papers."
He added that the caller told him that the "loan" would be for just a few days. "We later met at a hotel in Deira. He said that the money was in his car. They showed me and my friend two packets of $100 which had us believe them. Soon after they took the money, they drove off. However, when we checked the bills, we found the first and last ones were real $ notes while the ones in between were all fake. We reported what happened right away to Al Muraqqabat police station."   
The other Indian businessman, aged 51, gave a similar statement to the investigating prosecutor.
A policeman said they caught one of the accused near a car rental office. "We combed the same area after receiving the fraud report. We had the suspects' car description. We found it near a car rental office. We spotted one of the suspects walking out of that office with a briefcase.  We chased him into the basement of the building and caught him. He had $ bills in his possession."
The criminal evidence report showed the defendants' notes were professionally faked.  
The 24-year-old accused, who is detained, had come to Dubai on a visit visa.
The trial will continue on July 9.