Nine men have been sentenced to three years in prison after posing as criminal investigators and stealing more than Dh400,000 from a man during a fake currency exchange in Ajman.
The Ajman Federal Primary Court also ordered the defendants to repay the stolen amount and ruled that seven of them be deported after serving their sentences.
The elaborate robbery unfolded when the victim arranged to exchange over Dh400,000 for US dollars through a group claiming to offer a better rate. At the agreed location, three men, all Arab nationals, approached him and his companions, falsely identifying themselves as officers from the criminal investigations department.
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According to court records, the suspects ordered the group out of their vehicle and forced them to stand against a wall. While one of the men collected their ID cards and mobile phones, another pretended to speak with the authorities. During the distraction, a third suspect opened the car and took off with a bag containing the cash.
The gang fled the scene in a getaway car, prompting the victim to report the incident immediately. Ajman Police launched a swift investigation, and within days, officers tracked down the suspects and recovered most of the stolen money, except for Dh63,000.
During interrogations, one of the suspects, identified as the fifth defendant, confessed to planning the crime with the others. Four more gang members admitted their roles, while the remaining suspects denied involvement and challenged the legality of their arrest and search.
The court dismissed those claims, stating the evidence was overwhelming. The ruling was based on direct confessions, credible witness statements, and the victim’s identification of several defendants during a virtual police lineup.
The judge described the act as a premeditated and organised crime, stressing that the defendants intentionally misled the victim by abusing the identity of law enforcement to carry out the theft.
The case highlights the dangers of unregulated money exchanges and the importance of verifying identities, especially when large sums are involved.
