Picture used for illustrative purpose only.

Ameer Al Sunni, Staff Reporter

The Ajman Criminal Court sentenced six Arabs and Asians but acquitted 19 others on charges of stealing cars worth Dhs6.35 million and smuggling them outside the UAE.

According to the case named ‘Dark Containers,’ filed by Ajman Police, the first group of the perpetrators entered the UAE on visit visas and rented cars from rent-a-car companies.

They then delivered the cars to the second group for half the price after taking off the tracking devices from them.

The third group of the perpetrators transported the cars to a UAE port for sea freight in closed containers classified as containing household items.

The perpetrators were able to steal 83 cars worth Dhs6.35 million.

After receiving car-theft complaints from rent-a-car companies, Ajman Police formed a search and investigation team, which inquired about the people who rented cars and found that they all had left UAE.

The team also detected a number of similar complaints in other emirates and contacted a number of shipping companies to bring the containers, which contained stolen cars, back to the UAE.  

Search and investigation continued for three months, after which the police succeeded in arresting 12 suspects and recovering 55 out of the 83 stolen cars.

After interrogating the suspects, the public prosecution ordered them to be referred to the courts of law on charges of theft, fraud, impersonation and forgery.