Abu Dhabi Magic

Amusing story from the weekend:

Abu Dhabi // Two men have been arrested after offering to double an undercover agent’s money using a magic powder, the Ministry of Interior said yesterday. The suspects, Africans identified as SLD, 32, and ASN, 33, are accused of claiming that a “magic blend” sprinkled over banknotes contained in a bag would double the amount. Laboratory tests showed that the powder consisted of flour and washing powder. “It is all absurd,” said Col Maktoum al Sharifi, the director of the Criminal and Investigative Directorate (CID). “They would put some of the powder on the notes they want to double. They would then put the notes in a bag and ask their victims not to open the bag until the blend takes effect.” The usual method was to give the victims, most of whom came from the northern emirates, an initial “demonstration” of the powder’s inflationary properties before being asking them to hand over a larger number of notes. However, that money would be switched with fake notes that would then be covered with the powder and closed in the bag.


Just goes to show that all that glitters is not gold, even in Abu Dhabi!

Two held over ‘magic powder’ cash fraud