Three visitors caught red-handed trying to sell drugs

Dubai: Three visitors have been caught red-handed trying to peddle cocaine in a sting operation by the police. The trio were arrested while selling three kilogrammes of the banned narcotic for Dh12,850 ($3,500).

A 41-year-old Ghanaian, S.I., a 49-year-old Briton, J.W, and a 52-year-old visitor from Benin, P.D., pleaded not guilty to the charge when they appeared before the Dubai Court of First Instance.

Records said the Briton smuggled the drugs into the country. He pleaded innocence before Presiding Judge Fahmi Mounir.

J.W. was charged with smuggling the banned substance which he intended to sell in Dubai.

An Emirati anti-narcotics police captain testified that an informant tipped the Anti-Narcotics Department that P.D. was looking for someone to buy cocaine.

"The informant posed as a buyer and we planned a sting operation during which we arrested the trio red-handed attempting to sell the drugs...the deal was struck in front of one of the malls in Deira."

Arrest

The captain stated that firstly they arrested P.D., who upon being questioned, admitted that the drugs belonged to his associates. Police interrogations revealed that S.I. claimed that J.W. smuggled the drugs from Britain to give it to a Saudi Arabian person. Records said when the Saudi Arabian didn't attend J.W.'s calls, the suspects decided to peddle the drugs for $3500.

The trial continues.