By Staff Reporter
Dubai Police have arrested eight suspects involved in the theft of a rare luxury oud valued at Dh12 million, bringing the sophisticated scam to an end within just 12 hours of the crime being reported.
According to authorities, the elaborate scheme involved a woman who allegedly posed as a princess to deceive an oud merchant into handing over the valuable product.
The fraud began when two suspects visited an oud shop and informed the merchant that a princess was interested in purchasing a rare and expensive oud collection. Trusting the offer, the merchant spent several days preparing the luxury product and later contacted the pair to arrange a meeting with the supposed royal buyer.
To make the deception convincing, the gang rented a lavish villa, employed individuals to act as bodyguards, and staged an extravagant reception for the merchant, who arrived carrying the prized oud in bags.
While the merchant waited for the “princess” to appear, the suspects allegedly switched the genuine oud with ordinary pieces of wood hidden inside identical bags. Unaware of the exchange, the merchant left the meeting believing the transaction would soon be completed.
The following day, after repeated attempts to contact the buyers failed and all their phones were switched off, the merchant realised he had been scammed and reported the matter to Dubai Police.
Investigators moved swiftly, arresting four suspects shortly after the complaint was filed. A red notice was then issued for the remaining four members of the group, who were subsequently tracked down and apprehended.
Dubai Police praised the rapid response of their investigative teams, whose efforts led to the recovery operation and the arrest of all eight suspects involved in the high-profile theft.
The case serves as a reminder for businesses dealing in high-value goods to verify the identity of potential buyers and exercise caution when conducting private transactions.
