Part of the stock seized by Dubai Police.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The Anti-Economic Crimes Department at the Dubai Police has arrested a gang of three Asians over attempting to promote medical products of anonymous sources through "WhatsApp".

Brig. Jamal Al-Jallaf, director of the Anti-Economic Crimes Department, stressed that Dubai Police, under the guidance of Lt General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander in Chief at Dubai Police, and the follow-up of his Assistant for Criminal Investigation Affairs, Major General Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansouri, frowns at promotion of any products of unknown origin or those which are counterfeit to protect members of society.

The Anti-Economic Crime Department, in cooperation with the strategic partners, spares no effort in monitoring and stopping all those who seek to take advantage of the current circumstances to promote medical products of unknown sources that may cause harm to the society and the public health in general, Al Jallaf added.

A fake HAZMAT suit seized by Dubai Police.

He commended the efforts of the security teams that seized the products, which were being hidden in three villas located in three areas in the emirate of Dubai. They seized 400,000 medical masks, 1,000 preventive glasses, 25,000 medical gloves, 270 medical suits, 3,900 packs and covers with labels concealing country of origin and bearing a trade mark and data of unknown source.

As for the details of the seizure process, Col. Salah Bo Assiba, Director of the Department for Combating Economic Crimes, said the department received verified information about a number of Asians trying to promote and sell medical products through WhatsApp, violating the laws enforce in selling this type of medical product.

“The CID team immediately initiated investigations into the received information which led to identifying the persons who involved in promoting medical products of unknown origin,” he added.

A box contains fake medical supplies.

Accordingly, those persons had been put under surveillance monitoring their movements in several areas in Dubai, he added.

“Through the surveillance of the gang, it was found out that they are using 3 villas in several areas in Dubai as warehouses to store, repackage and sell those medical products,” Col. Bo Assiba said.

All legal measures were taken, before raiding the three villas at the same time resulting in the seizure of large amounts of medical products of unknown origin that were prepared to be sold in the local market, he added.