China, US, UAE police carry out 1st joint operation in Dubai targeting telecom, online fraud

Police from China, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates have carried out their first joint international operation in Dubai targeting telecom and online fraud, China's Ministry of Public Security said on Sunday.

During the operation, police dismantled nine fraud dens and arrested 276 suspects, according to the state-run news agency Xinhua.

Investigations found that the fraud rings lured victims by faking romantic relationships on social media and building trust before tricking them into investing in so-called high-return cryptocurrency schemes, which resulted in financial losses.

The joint operation marks a major milestone in Chinese police efforts to strengthen international law enforcement cooperation, a ministry official said.

"Chinese police will continue to deepen pragmatic cooperation with more countries, carry out joint crackdowns, thoroughly dismantle telecom fraud dens, and make every effort to apprehend suspects involved in such crimes to effectively safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of people in all countries," the official said.