UAE: NRI tycoon Firoz Merchant to pay for expat prisoners’ tickets

Dubai, May 23: A Dubai-based Indian billionaire will donate a total of USD 130,790 a year to fund the return tickets of expatriates prisoners who have been released from jails in the UAE.

Firoz Merchant, founder and chairman of Pure Gold Jewellers, has just signed a memorandum of understanding with the UAE's Faraj Fund, a charity initiative that seeks to promote the welfare of inmates in the country.

Merchant promised to provide USD 130,790 (Dh 480,000) a year to fund the air tickets for released prisoners, to help them go back to their country and reunite with their families.

Faraj Fund was established in June 2009 in Abu Dhabi through a decree issued by the Minister of Social Affairs.

The fund will be extended to inmates who cannot afford to pay for their airfare.

The Dh40,000 monthly budget will be released to Faraj Fund once it submits a list of deported inmates.

Mumbai-born businessman, who has an ongoing initiative to help clear the debts of expatriates who land in jail, has just secured the release of 132 prisoners by paying off combined borrowings worth Dh150,000.

"These prisoners are victims of circumstances and are not real criminals. They are in jail because of debt," Merchant had said.

Merchant is also working on providing financial aid to Ajman Police for the medical treatment of a policeman suffering from neurological disorder. An amount of Dh60,000 shall be allocated for his Chinese acupuncture treatment in Jordan.

"In unity with the Year of Giving initiative, we are working with the prison and law enforcement authorities to help insolvent prisoners; as well as members of the police force who work hard to ensure we continue to live in a secure and happy community," Merchant said.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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