Three men were deprived of bail on Wednesday when they appeared in the Randburg magistrate court on fraud charges.Crime brainpower and Interpol spokesperson Tummi Golding said on Wednesday the men were remanded to Friday.

The men are supposedly behind a fake gem consortium which targeted wealthy businessmen.Golding said the men approached the businessmen with apparently legitimate business transactions.

She said the first case was reported in 1998 when a businessman was publicized architectural drawings of a hospital by one of the alleged conmen.The businessman was told that the project would be funded by a member of the Zambian royal family who had limestone rights to mine tanzanite.

he man said the stones would have to be sold first.

The businessman was told the royal family needed a middleman to put up for sale the stones and he would get a generous commission.

The businessman was then introduced to a trick member of the royal family and taken to a jeweller who prized the stones at about R400 000.

The jeweller would then offer to buy them but would be told there was already a buyer.

The alleged conmen would then tell the businessman to hold onto the stones until a buyer contacted him .The businessman would then be influenced to hand over R100 000 as surety, and the conmen would disappear.

The G.I.E. Perles de Tahiti - a non-profit financial interest group promoting Tahitian Pearls and their by-products around the world organized a grand Pearl Jewellery Contest recently at Beirut, Lebanon. It has also linked with renowned Lebanese fashion designer - Fouad Sarkis to create outfits motivated by and incorporating, Tahitian black pearls and mother of pearls.

This is G.I.E. Perles de Tahiti's first risk outside Europe where it had already combined with famous designers.

Sarkis presented his Winter 2002 Collection in the fulsome gardens of a 19th century Oriental palace where a dinner was hosted for Lebanese and Middle Eastern VIP's who were then treated to a trendy Fashion Show.

Lebanon was chosen because it is the fashion Capital of the Middle - East and the country which produced the most number of winners in a recent G.I.E. Perles de Tahiti International Tahiti Pearl Design Competition. Lebanon emerged with nine international awards in various categories, ahead of the United States, Brazil and France. The contest invited pearl jewellery in a head-ti-foot range in ten different categories.