Dubai: Police have arrested three suspects for alleged embezzlement and selling of fake gems, it was revealed.

Lt Gen Salah Juma’a Bu Osaiba, Director of the Anti-Economic Crimes Department at Dubai Police, explained that three men of African and European origin, took photographs of fake jewellery and offered them at low prices to unsuspecting victims.

“We were notified about the crime in the first week of September [by] an Asian businessman who reported that he was duped into purchasing fake gems for Dh150,000 from two South African men,” said Lt Gen Bu Osaiba.

Police immediately formed a team to investigate and pursue the suspects.

During the investigation, preliminary evidence led Dubai Police to a gang that target shipping companies that ship goods to Africa and were then lured into purchasing the fake gems.

“With the cooperation of a number of traders, we were able to contact the gang and pretend that they were interested in purchasing gems. Late at night, one of the gang members held a meeting with the police informant at a hotel at Al Rifa’a area near BurJuman Centre to finalise the details,” Lt Gen Bu Osaiba explained.

He further noted that despite resistance, the gang member was arrested and during further investigation, it was discovered that the remaining two suspects were in a hotel along Shaikh Zayed Road.

However, when their hotel room was raided the suspects already fled to Abu Dhabi. In cooperation with Abu Dhabi Police, police found the suspects had tried to flee the country on September 6 and they were arrested.

“During the first eight months of 2012, we received 61 scam cases involving 86 people who embezzled a total amount of Dh 20.27 million from their victims,” he added.