Two jailed for trying to smuggle 70 fake iris scan stamps into Dubai

Saturday, Jul 25, 2009

Gulf News

Dubai: Two people, who attempted to smuggle more than 70 fake iris scan stamps into Dubai, were sentenced to two years jail on Wednesday.

The Dubai Court of First Instance has found guilty M.I., a 21-year-old woman from Moldova and A.K.H., a 34-year-old man from Russia, for smuggling 72 forged iris scan stamps and two bank stamps through Dubai Airport. The two were accompanied by a juvenile, who is still on the run.

A.K.H. has also been sentenced to six months in jail for trying to escape after being arrested. He received an addition six-month sentence for taking part in running a brothel, as he used to deliver prostitutes to clients and receive money. His total jail sentence is three years.

The two criminals also face deportation after they serve their sentences.

Forged eye biometric recognition stamps are used to facilitate the entry of previously-banned people from entering the UAE.

The two were arrested following the foiling of a smuggling attempt on July 17, 2008. The police had set a trap after they received information that a gang is to smuggle fake iris scan stamps into the country through Dubai Airport.

There were four people involved in the crime - M.I. and A.K.H. as well as the juvenile and his mother, who are both on the run according to public prosecution records.

The juvenile's mother met with an undercover police officer who was supposed to receive the fake iris scan stamps from her son and bring them to her in exchange for Dh2,000.

The officer got in contact with the son on a mobile phone, met him in the airport building and received the stamps, after which the mother asked the officer to give the stamps to A.K.H., who was also in the airport.

Both the juvenile and A.K.H. were arrested, in addition to M.I.

M.I. was also at the airport and was caught with a laptop and several ink pads. According to the public prosecution records, she admitted that she had intended to deliver them to the juvenile.

A.K.H. tried to escape but failed, and during the interrogation he admitted that he was asked by the mother to go and collect the stamps and that he used to help the woman to run the brothel.

The mother escaped from the airport as she told the officer that A.K.H. will collect the stamps instead of her.

It is unclear how the juvenile escaped after the arrest.

By Wafa Issa, Staff Reporter