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UAE Public Prosecution refers nine-member organised crime gang to court for kidnapping, assault, and social-media blackmail, ensuring justice / Image courtesy of UAE Public Prosecution (@UAE_PP).
The UAE Public Prosecution has referred nine Arab nationals to court after uncovering an organised criminal gang involved in kidnapping, indecent assault, and blackmail, as reported by the Emirates News Agency (WAM).
The gang allegedly lured a victim over a financial dispute, detained him for several days, filmed him under duress, and later circulated the footage on social media to extort money from his family.According to WAM, the investigation led under the directives of Attorney-General Dr Hamad Saif Al Shamsi revealed that the group’s activities posed a threat to national security and social peace. The defendants now face severe penalties, including possible life imprisonment or the death sentence under UAE law.
UAE public prosecution of 9-member: Case overview and charges
According to the Federal Public Prosecution (FPP) of the UAE, nine Arab nationals have been formally referred to court after investigations revealed their involvement in forming an organised criminal gang that committed a series of grave offences jeopardising state security, public order and social peace. The initial complaint was filed through the FPP’s digital portal “My Safe Society”, where the victim stated he had been kidnapped, indecently assaulted and filmed while his hands were bound.
The gang allegedly lured the victim to one of their residences over a financial dispute, detained him for a week, forced him to sign debt instruments, stripped and filmed him, and later shared the footage via social-media platforms to extort money from his family.
The authorities confiscated the vehicle and mobile phones used in committing the crimes; the mobile devices contained incriminating footage proving the gang’s organised activity.
Because the gang’s actions threatened national security and social peace, the defendants face charges that could result in the death penalty or life imprisonment.
Investigation and law enforcement response
Under directives of the Attorney-General Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, the FPP launched an expedited probe, gathering evidence and utilising the Federal Judicial Enforcement Office to identify and apprehend the perpetrators swiftly. Authorities seized the tools used by the gang including the mobile phones and vehicle and undertook forensic examination of the footage.
The investigation underscores the state’s zero-tolerance stance on criminal groups that menace societal security.
The FPP emphasised that safeguarding national security, lives and property remain top priorities, and that no leniency will be shown to those who undermine public peace. Dr. Al Shamsi reaffirmed: “our determination to enforce the law impartially, safeguard lives and property, and ensure that perpetrators of crimes threatening national security or social peace are prosecuted and brought to justice.”
What this means for the public and social safety
This case sends a clear message: organised crime, including kidnapping, extortion and blackmail via social media, is being pursued vigorously in the UAE. For the public, the implications include:
- If you become aware of or are victim to such offences, the “My Safe Society” digital platform provides an official route for reporting.
- The state is actively targeting not just individual acts but entire criminal networks whose activities can destabilise public order.
- Confidentiality, forensic investigation and rapid legal action are being used to deter and punish organised crime.
The threat posed by exploiting social media or filming victims to extort money is taken extremely seriously, elevating what may have been once considered isolated episodes into matters of state security.
Legal context and bigger picture
Under UAE law, offences committed by organised gangs may trigger the harshest penalties, including life imprisonment or the death penalty, especially when public security or social peace is at risk. Criminal networks that use coercion, filming victims, social-media blackmail and extortion are no longer treated as “just crime” but as threats to the social fabric and state stability.
The case also highlights how digital-reporting tools, forensic evidence and coordinated enforcement are becoming key in fighting sophisticated crime.For residents and citizens, this emphasises the importance of digital vigilance, awareness of platforms like “My Safe Society”, and the knowledge that the UAE is increasing its focus on crime prevention and enforcement in the digital age.
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