On March 14, the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeals, State Security Chamber, convicted members of the organised criminal group known in the media as the ‘Bahloul Gang’ and sentenced them to various prison terms.
The Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal’s State Security Division sentenced 18 defendants to life imprisonment, 46 defendants to 15 years in prison, and 16 others to five years in prison, along with a fine of AED1 million.
The court also ordered the confiscation of the gang’s money, properties, vehicles, and seized weapons. Some defendants were found not guilty and acquitted of the charges.
UAE Attorney-General, Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, ordered the trial of the members of an organized criminal group for crimes that threatened state security, public order, and safety.
The group, called the ‘Bahloul Gang’, was created and led with the goal of committing illegal activities, making money through crime, and sharing the profits among its members, reported WAM. They took control of certain areas, used social media to promote their crimes, and used illegal weapons and tools to scare and intimidate their victims.
The gang was also involved in extorting money from victims through coercion to further their criminal objectives; they engaged in money laundering to conceal and disguise the sources of their illegal proceeds.
