Money laundering gang busted, nearly 95 tonnes of gold seized

[email protected] (Khaleej Times)
December 27, 2011

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Abu Dhabi, December 27: Security agencies on Sunday announced that they had busted one of the world’s largest money laundering networks which was involved in the smuggling of around 95,000kg of gold and SR10 million (over Dh9 million) in cash.

The operation was led by State Security with help from law enforcement and investigating agencies against the international gang of criminals who planned to use the UAE banking system to launder the black money and gold.

The gang planned to smuggle 94,410kg of pure gold from an African country and SR10 million in cash into the UAE through the Ghuwaifat check post on the Saudi border. “The gang of criminal was planning to channel the gold into the banking system and then transfer them to a number of Arab and other foreign countries, but the full-proof inspection measures adopted by the Ministry of Interior at land and air ports had aborted the smuggling attempt and apprehended members of the network,” the official Emirates News Agency (Wam) reported.

However, the nationalities and full names of the apprehended gang members were not disclosed as the investigation is ongoing.

The ring planned to smuggle the gold and money through oil tankers from an African country to a neighbouring country where three members, identified as A.M.A, H.B. and A.A, carried the consignment for delivery to another group of the gang who were identified as owners of the tankers for further transportation to the UAE.

The tanker owners were tasked to smuggle the gold and cash into the UAE and hand them over to their accomplices here.

The entire plan was aborted when undercover agents of the State Security and police waited for the consignment to arrive at the Ghuwaifat border post, and a key gang member was arrested red-handed. This led to the arrest of other accomplices. The culprit was arrested in possession of SR10 million hidden in the oil tanker. Further investigation and follow-up helped in rounding up the entire network.

Money laundering has been a pressing issue for the international community, particularly the UAE due to its fast economic development and growth. Money launderers have been using different methods, including Hawala, to launder black money through operators based here and front countries in different parts of Asia.

To curb the misuse of Hawala transaction of money, the Central Bank has already started registering all Hawala operations. The Central Bank has asked all such money transaction operators to declare their transactions and operate through legal channels.

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News Network
July 9,2020

Etawah, Jul 9: Another aide of the Kanpur encounter accused Vikas Dubey, Bahua Dubey, died in an encounter with the police, here on Thursday.

"Today at around 4.30 AM, in an encounter with the Etawah Police, one person has died. from him, a rifle and a pistol too has been recovered. When we shared the information with the Kanpur Police, they identified him as Bahua Dubey," said SSP Etawah Akash Tomar.

"He was involved in the Kanpur encounter alongside Vikas Dubey and there was a bounty of Rs 50,000 on him," he added.

"Around 3 AM on the highway near Mahewa Police Station Bakewar, a Swift Dzire car was looted by four armed assailants on a Scorpio. Around 4:30 AM, they were intercepted at Kachaura road under Police Station Civil lines by the police. When police parties chased them, the car collided with a tree, and criminals started firing at the police," he further said.

Dubey sustained injuries during the encounter and was pronounced dead when taken to the hospital. However, the other three managed to escape. One pistol, a double-barrel gun, and several cartridges have been recovered, he informed further.

Earlier today, Prabhat Mishra, also an aide of the main accused, died after being shot at by the police.

Mishra had sustained an injury on the leg after being shot at by the police and was rushed to a hospital before being pronounced dead.

Vikas Dubey is the main accused in the encounter that took place in Kanpur last week, in which a group of assailants allegedly opened fire on a police team, which had gone to arrest him. Eight police personnel were killed in the encounter.

A search operation is currently underway to nab Dubey.

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Agencies
January 16,2020

Cuttack, Jan 16: At least 15 passengers were injured as five coaches of the Mumbai-Bhubaneswar Lokmanya Tilak Express derailed and three more were displaced after colliding with a goods train amid heavy fog near Cuttack in Odisha on Thursday, railway officials said.

Railway officials had earlier said that 25 passengers were injured in the incident but later officers who reached the site reported that four passengers were found to have suffered major injuries and 11 had received minor injuries.

Passengers with major injuries have been sent to Cuttack Medical College. All passengers are stated to be out of danger.

Officials said the accident happened when the passenger train hit the guard van of a good train around 7 am between Salagaon and Nergundi stations.

The officials said there was heavy fog at the site but it was not clear what led to the accident. The speedometer of both the trains have been seized for inquiry, East Coast Railway Spokesperson J P Mishra said.

Buses have been arranged for all remaining passengers to move towards their destination.

Cuttack is around 10-12 km away and Bhubaneswar(Terminating station) is 35 km.

The accident disrupted train services in the area.

Five trains have been affected due to the accident where restoration work in underway. These include the Bhubaneswar-Mumbai LTT SF Express, the Puri-Rourkela Express, Dhanbad-Bhubaneshwar Rajyarani Express which have all been diverted via Naraj.

"East Coast Railway acknowledges with deep gratitude help of nearby locals and villagers who have displayed great humanitarian values and come to the rescue of injured passengers," Mishra said.

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News Network
May 9,2020

Shillong, May 9: The poisonous mushrooms that killed six people at a remote village in Meghalaya's West Jaintia Hills district have been identified as Amanita phalloides, commonly known as the 'Death Cap', a senior official said on Saturday.

Six people, including a 14-year-old girl, of Lamin village along the India-Bangladesh border in Amlarem civil sub-division died after consuming wild mushrooms they collected from a nearby forest late last month.

The wild mushroom has been identified as Amanita phalloides and is hepatotoxic as it directly affects the liver, state Director of Health Services (MI) Dr Aman War told PTI.

He said it has been established after an investigation that the cause of the deaths was the poisonous mushrooms.

At least 18 persons from three families were taken ill after consuming the mushrooms.

The symptoms after consuming the poisonous fungus include vomiting, headache and unconsciousness, the senior doctor said.

Most of those taken ill, including a pregnant woman, have already recovered and gone home. Therefore, people can survive as it depends on the amount of poison that you have consumed. Only one person was unaffected, maybe he did not consume much, he said.

Three people are still undergoing treatment and are recovering. Two of them are at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) and one in Woodland Hospital, Dr War said.

He said the health department can only appeal to the people, especially those in the rural areas, to refrain from eating wild mushrooms, while the horticulture department should take measures to create awareness.

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