A week after the arrest of 11 people in the e-hawala racket case, the Sahar police arrested another man as he landed at the international airport from Dubai. The arrested man was wanted in the case.
According to Sahar police sources, the arrested accused has been identified as Siddique Shaikh, following his arrest the total number of arrests in the case has reached 12. After the arrest of 11 people, including three ladies, Siddique's name emerges as an absconding accused in the case.
Arrested accused Siddique is a resident of Dongri and works with these Hawala operators for just Rs 10,000. In the course of the search of his belongings, Sahar police found various bank cards, sources said.
In the first week of April, the Sahar police had arrested 11 persons for allegedly operating a hawala racket from Mumbai with the money transactions being completed in Dubai via electronic transfers. This is the first time in the city that electronic means have been used for a hawala racket.
The money was deposited into bank accounts of fliers who would then hand over the ATM cards to their handlers in Dubai. Every day the handler withdrew 2,000 UAE Dirhams from ATM machines in Dubai. Moreover, 10,000 UAE dirhams were handed over to each flier in Mumbai which was meant for purchasing electronic goods to be sold in Mumbai.
On that occasion, Sahar police seized 55 such ATM cards with 90,000 UAE Dirhams in different bank accounts. The hawala racket was operated to avoid detection of huge cash with the flier. Each flier was promised Rs 13,000 for a week’s stay in Dubai.
Money is deposited into bank accounts of people flying from Mumbai to Dubai.
The fliers gave their cards to handlers who would then use ATM machines in Dubai to withdraw the money.
The fliers were also given money to purchase electronics to be later sold in Mumbai.