DUBAI, Aug 19 (V7N) – Dubai police successfully thwarted an attempted smuggling of an exceptionally rare 21-carat pink diamond valued at $25 million, arresting three suspects within just eight hours of the theft, according to an official release from the Government of Dubai Media Office.
 
Authorities say the suspects posed as wealthy buyers and spent over a year carefully planning the heist. They rented luxury cars, arranged meetings at high-end hotels, and even hired a professional diamond appraiser to gain the trust of the merchant. Eventually, they convinced the jeweler to move the diamond out of his secure premises to a villa, where the theft occurred.
 
The stolen diamond was reportedly being prepared for smuggling out of the UAE hidden inside a small refrigerator bound for an unnamed Asian country when police intervened.
 
Officials emphasized the gem's rarity and value, noting that the diamond’s unique clarity, symmetry, and purity rating make it virtually irreplaceable — with only a 0.01% likelihood of discovering another like it. The diamond had been imported from Europe and was intended for sale in Dubai, a city renowned for its luxury goods market.
 
Police credited the swift recovery to “intensive surveillance, coordinated intelligence efforts, and rapid operational execution.” The identities of the suspects have not been made public as the investigation remains ongoing.
 
END/WD/SMA/