DUBAI: A female customs broker in a banned red sandalwood importation case has convinced the Appeals Court to drop 30 months from her penalty. The Asian woman JK, 34, sought the help of public relations agent MO, 32, in bribing a customs inspector to condone the importation of endangered sandalwood. The sandalwood belonged to MO, according to records at Al Qusais Police Station. MO handed a Dhs50,000 cheque to JK, who gave it to the customs officer from the Jebel Ali Port and asked him to allow a container of sandalwood into the country on June 21, 2014.
The Criminal Court sentenced both JK and MO to three years in jail plus deportation and ordered the confiscation of the cheque. MO appealed the ruling. He insisted he was innocent. The Appeals Court sentenced him to six months without deportation. He appealed at the Cassation Court which changed the punishment to a Dhs6,000 fine.
On her part, JK who did not show up during the initial questioning asked for a retrial. The Criminal Court sentenced her to the same three-year jail term plus deportation. On July 20 she raised her case to the Dubai Appeals Court and requested leniency. The Appeals Court dropped 30 months from the jail term.
In records, JK befriended the inspector and asked for his phone number while claiming she would like to ask him about customs issues. She later talked about importing a container of duplicate goods. His seniors advised him to lure her into a trap. She revealed it contained red sandalwood. She promised to offer him Dhs25,000 for clearing it. She later proposed Dhs50,000. She showed up at the agreed parking lot in Twar area. She contacted MO who brought the cheque. She handed it to the inspector. Police nabbed them.
