Five Pakistani men allegedly booked and sold tickets of Emirates airline using credit cards that belonged to residents of the USA and Australia, causing the carrier to lose Dh130,426, Arab media reported on Monday.
The Dubai prosecution accused the men for the fraudulent electronic booking and reservation of 43 tickets on Emirates, on or before May 19.
Police officials involved with the investigation said that one of the accused confessed to being part of a criminal network specializing in booking air tickets using credit cards that belong to other people.
The five are also accused of using the air tickets with their knowledge of the transaction being fraudulent, by submitting them to an employee of the Emirates.
The prosecution also accused them of swindling the carrier of Dh130,426, the value of the air tickets, that two of them used to travel between Dubai and Karachi.
Ali Rida, the Iranian safety and security officer with Emirates, testified that the accused purchased air tickets using credit cards that belonged to residents of the US and Australia. They also called the Emirates Communication Centre to book tickets on the Dubai-Karachi route. Forty-three tickets were used between Dubai and Karachi.
"In most of the cases they left in the morning and returned the same day evening. The carrier lost Dh130,426," he testified. The carrier received complaints from different banks and the issue was investigated.
The police then set up a trap for the accused. Corporal Abdullah Obaid testified: "One of the accused expressed a readiness to issue me air tickets for a very good price. He actually issued me five air tickets which were deposited with the Force Economic Crimes Department," he testified.
Major Khalid Aref testified that he then arrested four of the accused, and one who confessed to travelling more than 20 times on Emirates, claimed he worked for the other accused.
The police also confiscated a number of computers and mobile phones. The accused have denied the accusation and their case will be heard by the court on October 16.
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@Mustafa Khan: Thanks Mustafa for describing the fact so perfectly. As I ended up reading the news item and moved on to the comments section, the Muslim and Pakistani debate reflected how pathetic we have become and ready to thrash our country and religion. Neither our country nor our religion is responsible for the mischief in our minds. It is the way we act and react which makes up our surrounding. Be rational enough...I wish that all those who directly jump over to thrash Islam or Pakistan atleast once realize the frustrations and sickness of western nations (a result of their culture and values) you will thank a hundreds of time for what you are blessed with. Dont spoil it with your own hands!
We have excuses for every wrongdoing. We add water to milk, make fake baby formula and fake drugs, reuse the dirty injections, love the terrorist killers, bribes, stealing, heroine and gun running, cheating in every walk of life including exams, and denying all are a part of culture and acceptable in the society. Very conveniently we blame everybody from the govt to poverty to neighboring countries to the West but do not take any responsibility of any of our actions. No wonder we are only going downhill. We are the greatest, most innocent and the “others” are all wrong.
Who cares. There are scams everywhere. Stop crying everyone.
Gangs are mostly comprised of homogenous races or religions (cults). This happened to be a gang of Pakistanis. Ok. So? There are a ton of Hispanic, African American, Irish, Chinese gangs in the US. They are involved in heinous crimes. Most of the American prison population is black, and Muslim! They aren't Pakistani or Arab. they are hard core American. Their religion doesn't make them commit crimes because they mostly convert to Islam after they've been convicted and imprisoned. All of this national, religious, rhetoric is pointless. It is the environment and culture that breeds criminal mentality. Most terrorists are born and bred in UK and USA before they come to PAkistan or Afghanistan to get their so called training. So the intent and will for terrorism is bred into them by their home cow tries. Not Pakistan. These airline bandits are the same. Bred into criminals by the UAE. Hold their culture responsible, not ours!
We worship people like Qadri instead of people who stand up for what is right. Why do we act surprised when Pakistanis abroad are doing criminal things they way they did back home?
@Jehangir: a human being can do this ?
This is non-sense either on Part of Express Tribune or Emirates Airlines for branding ordinary criminals as 'Pakistanis'.
They are criminals pure and simple.
Well, In Pakistan this behavior starts right from the Top and inmost cases they are acceptable way of doing business, Ofcourse this is now being practised outside their country. The act of defrauding and taking bribe is now very much considered Tijarat and fast becoming part of culture. This is not something new. Get Rich fast mentality drives these people to conduct immoral practices
My country is full thieves and criminals from top to bottom.Its a leaderless country.
@Jehangir: There is a high percentage of Pakistani origin prisoners in the UK prisons compared to the general population.Are they NOT Muslims by your reasoning?
@Shue: Why are you ashamed? A criminal can be from any country. There are plenty of criminals in Canada from every conceivable ethnicity, religion and origin. Grow up and say that the criminals should be charged and put in jail. That would be an appropriate response instead of claiming that no crime occurs in our ethnicity because our people are perfect. So credit card fraud only takes place among others does it? In Canada it's mostly the Chinese from Hong Kong who are invovled in credit card fraud. In the US it's the Nigerians.
This is RAW / COOKED / HALF COOKED / STALE conspiracy to defame Pakistan and UAE brotherly relations.
Where is Diggvijay Khan?
I dont understand. What is it with Pakistani people abroad and at home that they cant do one thing that makes people around proud? Why does it always have to be something shameful? So much for land of pure people...
@Jehangir: I agree with you. They must be CIA/RAW agents. This is where our thinking ends
@Jehangir: why he cad do it in a non-islamic country
Pakistanis due to poverty and hunger are becoming the worst nation in the world.
@Jehangir: What ! Why this state of denial ?
Truly Ashamed! No wonder nobody let's us in their countries.
Shameful act no doubt but should not be generalized to reflect and represent all Pakistanis.
A true muslim can never do this is, that too in a Islamic Country
I am truly disappointed in these Pakistani's who bring shame to our country !