logo
Seven Indian travellers using fake visas arrested after deportation from Dubai: Media reports

Seven Indian travellers using fake visas arrested after deportation from Dubai: Media reports

Khaleej Timesa day ago
Seven Indian travellers using fake visas were caught by authorities at Dubai International Airport, and deported to Mumbai, according to Indian media reports.
Immigration officials at Mumbai Airport found the flyers travelled to Dubai on tourist visas, and then attempted to transit using fraudulent Luxembourg Employment Schengen Visas, which had missing security features.
Hailing from Gujarat, the suspects allegedly planned to arrive in Europe as tourists and subsequently settle in Luxembourg and other nations. Sahar Police arrested the individuals after the inspection at Mumbai, Indian media said.
Behind the scheme is an agent, also from Gujarat, who created the tourist visas and fake Schengen visas. The agent reportedly assured the seven detainees that these visas would allow them to live in Schengen countries and enable them to find employment easily, Indian media reports said.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Air India crash rekindles debate over cockpit video recorders
Air India crash rekindles debate over cockpit video recorders

Zawya

time4 hours ago

  • Zawya

Air India crash rekindles debate over cockpit video recorders

SEATTLE: The deadly Air India crash last month has renewed a decades-old debate in the aviation industry over installing video cameras monitoring airline pilot actions to complement the cockpit voice and flight data recorders already used by accident investigators. One of the industry's most influential voices, International Air Transport Association head Willie Walsh, a former airline pilot, said on Wednesday in Singapore there was a strong argument for video cameras to be installed in airliner cockpits to monitor pilot actions to complement voice and flight data recorders already used by accident investigators. Aviation experts have said a preliminary report from India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) raised questions over whether one of the pilots of Air India flight 171 cut off fuel to the Boeing 787's engines seconds after takeoff, leading to an irrecoverable situation. The crash in Ahmedabad, India, killed 241 of the 242 people aboard, as well as 19 people on the ground. As of now, "based on what little we know now, it's quite possible that a video recording, in addition to the voice recording would significantly assist the investigators in conducting that investigation on the issue of mental health," Walsh said. Advocates for cockpit video cameras say the footage could fill in gaps left by the audio and data recorders, while opponents say concerns about privacy and misuse outweigh what they argue are marginal benefits for investigations. Video footage was "invaluable" to Australian crash investigators determining what led to Robinson R66 helicopter breaking up in mid-air in 2023, killing the pilot, the only person aboard, according to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau's final report, which was released 18 days after the Air India crash. The video showed "the pilot was occupied with non-flying related tasks for much of this time, specifically, mobile phone use and the consumption of food and beverages," the report said. The ATSB commended Robinson Helicopters for providing factory-installed cameras and said it encouraged other manufacturers and owners to consider the ongoing safety benefits of similar devices. In 2000, U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairman Jim Hall urged the Federal Aviation Administration to require commercial airliners be equipped with cockpit image recorders. Hall's recommendation came in the wake of 1999's Egyptair Flight 990 crash, when the first officer intentionally crashed the Boeing 767, according to the NTSB, killing all 217 people on board. "In the balance between privacy and safety, the scale tips toward safety, unequivocally," air safety expert and former commercial airline pilot John Nance said. "Protecting the flying public is a sacred obligation." Another aviation safety expert, Anthony Brickhouse, said that as an accident investigator, he is in favor of cockpit video, but acknowledged that commercial pilots have real concerns. Video on Air India flight 171 "would have answered lots of questions," he said. Air India declined to comment. India's AAIB, which is expected to release a final report within a year of the crash under international rules, did not reply to request for comment. PILOT OBJECTIONS U.S. pilots' unions such as the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) and Allied Pilots Association (APA) say the voice and data recorders already provide enough information to determine the cause of a crash and that the cameras would be an invasion of privacy and could be misused. Calls for cockpit cameras are an understandable reaction to "the stress of not knowing what happened immediately after an accident," said APA spokesperson Dennis Tajer, an American Airlines pilot. "I can understand the initial reaction of the more information, the better," but investigators already have enough data to adequately determine an accident's cause, leaving no need for cameras, he said. To make flying safer, current safety systems should be enhanced to record higher-quality data, rather than adding video cameras, an ALPA spokeperson said. There are also concerns the footage could be used by airlines for disciplinary actions or that video could be leaked to the public after a crash, said John Cox, an aviation safety expert, retired airline pilot and former ALPA executive air safety chairman. A pilot's death being broadcast on "the 6 o'clock news is not something that the pilot's family should ever have to go through," he said. If confidentiality can be assured around the world, "I can see an argument" for installing cameras, Cox said. Cockpit voice recordings are typically kept confidential by investigators in favor of partial or full transcripts being released in final reports. Despite that, International Federation of Air Line Pilots Associations said it was skeptical that confidentiality could ever be assured for cockpit videos. "Given the high demand for sensational pictures, IFALPA has absolutely no doubt that the protection of (airborne image recorder) data, which can include identifiable images of flight crewmembers, would not be ensured either," the organization said in a statement. Boeing declined to disclose whether customers are able to order cockpit video recorders, while Airbus did not reply to request for comment. (Reporting by Dan Catchpole in Seattle; Additional reporting by Jun Yuan Yong in Singapore; Editing by Jamie Freed)

How Dubai Police use sports, community events to cut crime, build trust
How Dubai Police use sports, community events to cut crime, build trust

Khaleej Times

time7 hours ago

  • Khaleej Times

How Dubai Police use sports, community events to cut crime, build trust

Dubai Police are leaning into community engagement as part of a wider effort to boost safety and reduce crime. Over the past three years, the force has hosted more than 900 events, bringing together residents from 37 nationalities through sports, cultural programmes, and educational workshops. It's all part of a unique initiative called 'Positive Spirit' which aims to foster trust, connection, and cooperation between police and the communities they serve. Launched in 2019, the initiative takes a 'soft force' approach to policing — using engagement and inclusion, rather than enforcement, to tackle crime at its roots. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. Fatima Buhajeer, chairperson of the Positive Spirit Council, said the initiative is about more than events; it's about creating lasting bonds. 'By bringing people together, we create safer environments through trust, collaboration, and a shared sense of responsibility,' she told Khaleej Times during the 'Positive Spirit' press conference on Tuesday (July 15). Between 2022 and 2024, Positive Spirit organised 933 events, including 289 sports programmes, 241 community gatherings, and 292 workshops and lectures. More than 6,600 volunteers took part — helping to spread awareness about police services and strengthen neighbourhood ties. The initiative has grown into a key pillar of Dubai Police's preventive policing strategy. Rather than just reacting to crime, it focuses on preventing it by addressing factors like social isolation and mistrust in law enforcement. 'Our preventive strategy is not just about deploying officers, but empowering the community to be part of the safety system,' Buhajeer added. A safer Dubai The strategy appears to be working. According to Numbeo's 2025 global safety index, the UAE is now ranked the second safest country in the world, climbing from fourth place last year. Dubai Police also reported a 25 per cent drop in serious crimes in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. Overall crime fell by nearly 50 per cent in 2023, pointing to the effectiveness of community-based programmes like Positive Spirit. Buhajeer explained how the initiative has helped build a more cohesive and secure society by encouraging positive behaviour, raising awareness about police services, and increasing community involvement in crime prevention. 'This is not just about promoting happiness, it's about creating safer communities by building trust and engagement between residents and the police,' Buhajeer said. Reaching every corner of the city One of the initiative's biggest successes is how it reaches segments of the population that don't typically engage with law enforcement — including seniors, children, and residents from diverse cultural backgrounds. By building those connections, officials say the programme has improved communication and reporting between communities and local police stations, especially in residential areas. 'We've seen stronger ties and greater trust, which translates into more cooperation and ultimately, a safer Dubai,' Buhajeer said. So far, Positive Spirit content has drawn nearly 18 million online views, and the initiative has been recognised with 15 awards, including one from the International Association of Chiefs of Police for excellence in community policing. According to the Council, public satisfaction with the initiative stands at 98.9 percent.

Woman smuggling cocaine in Oreo worth Dh26.7 million from Doha arrested in Mumbai
Woman smuggling cocaine in Oreo worth Dh26.7 million from Doha arrested in Mumbai

Khaleej Times

time18 hours ago

  • Khaleej Times

Woman smuggling cocaine in Oreo worth Dh26.7 million from Doha arrested in Mumbai

An Indian national travelling from Doha to Mumbai has been arrested for allegedly smuggling drugs hidden in boxes of Oreo biscuits. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Mumbai, seized cocaine worth Dh26.7 million from a woman at the Mumbai International Airport, reports in the Indian media said. The DRI had information that a woman flying from Doha to Mumbai on July 14 would be smuggling narcotics into India. The tip helped DRI Mumbai officers intercept the female passenger upon her arrival at Mumbai Airport on Monday. Six Oreo boxes and three boxes of chocolate were recovered from her baggage. All nine boxes were found to contain capsules filled with a white powdery substance, purported to be cocaine. A total of 300 such capsules were recovered, which were individually tested using the field test kit. All the capsules showed a positive result for cocaine, reports quoting a statement from DRI Mumbai said. A total of 6261 grams of cocaine with an estimated value of Dh26.7 million in the illicit market, was recovered and seized. The passenger was arrested under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The DRI officials are now investigating the source of the contraband, the woman's handler, and other associates. A few days ago, a key suspect in a major Indian narcotic s case was extradited from the UAE to India. Kubbawala Mustafa, wanted by Mumbai Police for his alleged involvement in operating a synthetic drug manufacturing facility, was extradited to India through coordinated efforts between India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Interpol, and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Abu Dhabi. Mustafa is facing charges under a 2024 case registered in Mumbai, in which authorities allege he was involved in running a synthetic drug lab in Sangli, Maharashtra. The operation, allegedly run with others, led to the seizure of over 126kg of mephedrone from the facility.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store