Dubai: A visitor, who alleged that his cousin framed him and planted drugs in his travel bag after he changed his religion, has been jailed for 10 years.
In March, officers at Dubai International Airport had stopped the 24-year-old Indian visitor at the arrivals terminal when scanning devices detected that he had banned substances stacked in his luggage.
Further investigation revealed that the man was carrying three plastic pouches of marijuana.
On Tuesday, the Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the accused of smuggling and possessing 6.7kg of marijuana.
The accused admitted in court that he carried the bag but did not know what was the material that his cousin had asked to deliver to a resident in Dubai.
“I converted to another religion recently and he framed me because of that. He just gave me the bag and asked me to deliver it. I did not know that it contained drug substances,” he argued.
According to Tuesday’s ruling, presiding judge Mohammad Jamal fined the accused Dh50,000.
The accused will be deported after serving his punishment.
The 24-year-old defendant asked presiding judge Jamal for lenient punishment pleading that he is an only son and his mother needs him.
Records said the accused tested negative for drugs.
The ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
