Four on trial in UAE for drug trafficking, consumption

Dubai: Four Filipinos have denied possessing and trafficking 0.185 grammes of methamphetamine which they reportedly attempted to sell to an informant before their arrest in a sting operation.

Records quoted an Emirati anti-narcotics corporal alleging that the four, three men and a woman, were caught red-handed selling the drugs to the informant in Al Satwa.

The Public Prosecution charged the 23-year-old Filipina, D.A, and her three male compatriots, 22-year-old clerk, J. P., 25-year-old worker, R. C., and 25-year-old salesman L. S., with possessing 0.185 grammes of methamphetamine for trading purposes. D. A. and L. S. were also charged with consuming the drug.

"I did posses drugs, but that was for personal consumption and not for selling purposes ... I also consumed methamphetamine," argued D. A. when she defended herself before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, L. S. pleaded not guilty to the charge of trafficking drugs and admitted that he consumed methamphetamine.

J. P. and R. C., respectively, told Presiding Judge Fahmi Mounir: "We didn't possess or sell drugs ... we are not guilty."

Two other Filipino suspects, 28-year-old A. V. and 38-year-old N. G., have been charged with failing to report to the police that the compatriot group was selling and consuming drugs.

The two, who are on bail, were absent yesterday.

The Emirati corporal testified: "An informant alerted the Anti-Narcotics Department that the Filipina was looking for someone to buy a small quantity of methamphetamine from her ... we handed the informant Dh1,500 of police money, which was photocopied for later use as evidence against the suspects during the trial.

"After the deed was struck, we raided the place and arrested the quartet in a sting operation. We found Dh1,200 of the police money in L. S.'s possession."

An Emirati policeman, who was among the anti-narcotics team which arrested the suspects, claimed in his statement: "During questioning, the Filipina admitted that she was the one who contacted the informant and arranged to sell the drugs ... she also alleged that one of the defendants handed her the drug and she consumed part of it and kept the other part for the informant."

The trial continues.