Man caught smuggling Dh500,000 in fake Russian rubles

Man is accused of smuggling more than four million Russian rubles into the country.

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DUBAI // Two men smuggled almost Dh500,000 worth of fake Russian rubles into the country by strapping the notes to their legs, the Criminal Court heard today.

Prosecutors said that one of the men, KM, 29, was caught on June 7 after visiting Al Ansari Exchange in Riqqa. He visited the exchange house at about 11.30pm and handed 100,000 rubles - worth about Dh10,000 - to the Egyptian accountant, who became suspicious and realised they were fake.

"We were warned the same day to check the money notes well as a Syrian man tried to changed fake notes that day," said the accountant WA, 27, who informed his manager who then called police.

Prosecutors said the man confessed to smuggling, saying that he and another man identified as S had brought 4,760,000 rubles (Dh500,000) through the airport by taping the notes to their legs. A suitcase filled with fake currency was also found.

In court, the man denied the charge. The case was adjourned to September 26.

salamir@thenational.ae