Court sentences visitor to jail in hashish case

Dubai: A tiny 0.01 gm of hashish has landed an Italian visitor behind bars for four years.

The Dubai Court of First Instance found the 24-year-old Italian visitor, A.D., guilty of smuggling and possessing 0.01 gm of hashish for personal use, as charged by the Public Prosecution.

He will be deported after serving his jail term.

"I didn't intend to bring the drugs.

"I forgot it in the inner pocket of my jacket," the defendant told the court.

"I forgot it in my clothes before coming here. I am so sorry for that," A.D. told presiding judge Abdul Majid Al Nezamy last week.

The Customs inspector who seized the drugs said in his statement: "I suspected the visitor at Dubai airport's customs desk and asked to search him."

The initial verdict is still subject to appeal.