India wants Dubai to extradite 4 suspects in daring jewelry show theft of diamonds worth $1.4M

India wants Dubai to extradite 4 for diamond theft

NEW DELHI — India has asked the United Arab Emirates to extradite four Mexican and Venezuelan suspects in the brazen theft of 300 diamonds worth more than $1.4 million at a major jewelry show, police said Wednesday.

Security footage showed the theft taking place late Monday at the India International Jewelry Show, but authorities zeroed in on the suspects — three men and one woman — after they had left on a flight from Mumbai where the show was held.

The footage showed the men kept workers at the stall busy as the woman put a box containing the diamonds into her bag, police said.

In Dubai, a police official said the arrests followed the Interpol alert for the suspects, who were taken into custody moments after an Emirates flight from Mumbai landed. The official spoke on condition of anonymity under standing rules for briefing the media.

The diamonds have been recovered and India requested the suspects — three Mexican and a Venezuelan — be extradited to India, said Deven Bharti, a commissioner of police.

There has been no word on Dubai’s response to the extradition request made Tuesday. The four face robbery charges.

The 887 carats of diamonds belonged to the Israel-based Dalumi Group, which had set up a stall at the show, considered the third largest diamond and jewelry exhibition in the world.

Associated Press Writer Brian Murphy contributed to this report from Dubai.