As aforementioned, in the 1930s, the Arabic pearl industry collapsed due to Japanese cultured pearls. Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum, ruling Dubai from 1912 to 1958, soon recognized the need to find alternative sources of income. While Abu Dhabi was in a frenzy focusing on oil, Dubai went a different route and embraced re-exporting. This process was simple, and involved importing goods, particularly gold, and selling them tax-free to other ports abroad. The wealth generated from this practice, even though perfectly legal, led the mischievous to shout out; it’s smuggling!