An electronics engineer swallowed banknotes to avoid being charged of money forgery. This action came after he had also eaten stolen food items while shopping in a grocery store in one of Abu Dhabi’s Shopping mall.
Dr. Colonel Rashed Muhammad Bu Rashid, Head of Criminal Investigations Department in Abu Dhabi Police said that the operation room of the police received a complaint at the end of last January about detecting one shopper after monitoring him through surveillance cameras. The shopper had eaten few food items without paying, and stole packets of cigarettes. In addition he is suspected of possessing fake currencies with him. A patrol was sent to the place, and then the case was referred to the investigations department who interrogated the suspect.
He added “investigations showed that the suspect is (M. A. A, 36 years old), who is an Arab engineer who ran away from his sponsor and his escape was reported to the police. He was detained by the police after leaving the store without paying for the food he had that included bakeries, sweets and juices (AED 164.80), and for the three packets of cigarettes that he had hidden in his pocket not knowing that he was being monitored by surveillance cameras.”
He noted: “the suspect entered the store and took a trolley with him to act as if he is shopping. He put some food items in the trolley and a 10 packets box of cigarettes, and then started roaming in the store, eating and drinking; he also opened the cigarettes box and took three packets which he had hidden in his pocket. Security guards stopped him while exiting for not paying.”
Bu Rashied continued: “after the security guards took the suspect to the security room to report the incident to the police, the suspect tried to avoid charges of possessing fake currency of AED 100 banknotes, as he swallowed them quickly before being stopped by the security staff. Few damaged banknotes were recovered as the suspect couldn’t continue chewing and swallowing other banknotes because it was hard to do so without drinks to help him swallow them.”
He said: “based on security guards statements and images form the surveillance cameras, the initial investigations showed that the suspect (electronics engineer) is accused of theft and possessing fake AED 100 banknotes with the purpose of selling and promoting them. Some of these notes were found in his shoes and in his house after being searched. Criminal investigation also showed that he was working as an electronics engineer, but ran away from his sponsor, and was reported to the police.”
In relation to swallowing the fake currencies, the investigation manager in Abu Dhabi Police said that the suspect admitted that he was involved in the theft, and that he did not have any IDs or original banknotes, and that’s why he decided to swallow the fake banknotes he had with him to avoid facing additional charges.”
The suspect lead the police to his partner (F. N, 22 years old), who is involved in forging banknotes. The suspect admitted that they forge banknotes and sell each fake AED 1000 for AED 250. He said that they forge the currency by using regular papers and scanner, and they promote these banknotes among Asian labor who newly come to the country because they can’t recognize the UAE currency or make difference between original or fake banknotes.