Dubai: Three men have been each jailed for 10 years after a court convicted them of attempting to sell 29 kilograms of heroin, which they secretly smuggled in a furniture consignment.
The Dubai Court of First Instance found the defendants, two Pakistanis and an Indian, guilty of smuggling the heroin [in four wooden boards] with trafficking on their mind.
The court also slapped a hefty fine of Dh50,000 to each of the three accused, 32-year-old Pakistani visitor, M.N., his 38-year-old compatriot driver, J.R., the 50-year-old Indian driver, B.S. According to the primary verdict, the defendants will be deported after the completion of their jail terms.
The trio pleaded not guilty and denied possessing heroin, which they were accused of intending to sell after smuggling it secretly inside wooden boards as part of the furniture consignment.
Prosecution records said M.N. admitted during questioning that the heroin was professionally hidden inside the boards which were brought to Dubai.
Prosecutors said M.N. smuggled 2.6kgs in four plastic bags and 26.2kgs in the wooden boards. J.R. was charged with possessing 2.6kgs of heroin for trading purposes. B.S. was accused of possessing the 26.2kgs of heroin for trading purposes as well.
An Emirati anti-narcotics lieutenant testified that an informant tipped Dubai police that J.R. had heroin in his possession. "We detained J.R. at the bus station in Al Rifaa. Upon questioning, he admitted that M.N. left the drugs in his possession until a buyer was found. We seized the drugs in his house. We also seized the rest of the drugs in B.S.'s flat," claimed the lieutenant. The primary judgment is still subject to appeal within 13 days.
