UAE: Tourist on trial for using counterfeit money

Dubai - She purchased goods worth a total of Dh3,378, which she tried to pay in fake US dollars.

By Hesham Salah

Published: Thu 28 Jan 2021, 5:49 PM

An African visitor is currently on trial, after she used counterfeit currencies to purchase perfumes and electronics in Dubai.

Case documents from The Public Prosecution in Dubai stated that the African woman, who is 40 years old, entered the country as a tourist and has been living in the emirate of Sharjah.

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The incident occurred on October 8, 2020, when the woman entered the shop around 9.30am, together with another fugitive compatriot, and started browsing several products before leaving the store.

The witness in the case, who is an employee at the store, stated that both defendants returned after a couple of hours, and asked him if they could purchase products using US dollars. The employee confirmed they could.

The defendant then purchased two mobile phones, two watches, and three bottles of perfumes worth a total of Dh3,378, for which they paid the store in fake currencies of $1000.

When the seller went to an exchange store, the agent there told him that the money he wished to change are fake.

The man reported the matter to the police, and provided them with an invoice of the products the woman had purchased. After conducting an investigation, the police arrested the woman, and referred her to the Public Prosecution.

The case has been submitted to the criminal court for trial. The woman faces charges of possessing fake currencies and knowingly using them to buy products illegally.