Arrest of man on tourist visa leads to 8kg heroin stash

Abu Dhabi: Police have arrested a man for allegedly being in possession of eight kilogrammes of heroin stowed away inside electronic devices.

Abu Dhabi's Criminal Investigation Department director Colonel Hammad Ahmad Al Hammadi said the Afghan man had concealed narcotics inside 51 electronic goods including DVD players and car music systems.

The 22-year-old suspect had come to the country on a tourist visa with the intention of selling the drugs, he said.

"The police set up a trap to arrest the suspect after making a deal with him to buy four kilos of heroin for Dh220,000 after receiving permission from the Public Prosecution for the arrest," Colonel Al Hammadi said.

Operation co-ordinator Lieutenant Colonel Sultan Sawayeh Al Darmaki, head of the Anti-Narcotics unit in the CID, said police received a tip-off that an Afghan man who was involved in illegal drug-trading activities had entered the country and was looking for a buyer for his "goods".

Lt Colonel Al Darmaki said four kilogrammes of heroin were subsequently tracked down to Abu Dhabi and a similar quantity was found in a Dubai hotel room occupied by the accused.

The find had been made in co-operation with Dubai Police, he said.

Lt Colonel Al Darmaki also said that the seized heroin was of high quality and could easily have been sold in smaller amounts.

"Each kilogramme of the heroin would be sold for Dh55,000 with a total value of Dh440,000," he said.

Police said the accused, who had confessed to the charges, could face life imprisonment, or in the most extreme case, the death penalty. The matter has not yet been heard in court.

Colonel Al Hammadi urged members of the public to immediately report any violation of the law or suspicious activities they may come across.

Under Law number 14 of 1995 on combatting drug trafficking, anyone convicted of smuggling or importing drugs will be sentenced to between seven and 10 years in jail, and fined.

The law also penalises anyone found guilty of possessing drugs with a jail term of between one and three years and a fine.

Anyone charged with drug trafficking and smuggling will face life imprisonment and a fine and, if the crime is repeated, the suspect will be sentenced to death.