Dubai: A Syrian visitor denied in court Monday the charge of possessing 4.17 million capsules of amphetamine, weighing hundreds of kilos, for trafficking purposes.
"No. Not guilty," said the 29-year-old Syrian before the Dubai Court of First Instance. Prosecutors accused the defendant, H.S., with possessing 4,199 sacks containing amphetamine for trading purposes.
According to the chargesheet, prosecutors also charged H.S. with possessing nine capsules containing dextropropoxyphene drug and 75 capsules of diazepam [tranquiliser] for personal consumption.
He was also charged with using different kinds of drugs and mind-altering substances.
"I am guilty and possessed drugs for personal use," said the suspect before Presiding Judge Al Saeed Mohammad Barghout in courtroom four.
Chief Prosecutor Waleed Ali Khalifa Al Fuqaie, Head of Drugs Prosecution at Dubai Public Prosecution, asked the court to implement the toughest punishment [life sentence plus a maximum fine of Dh200,000] followed by deportation against the suspect.
The Chief Prosecutor earlier described the case as the ‘biggest drug case' probed by his team since the Drugs Prosecution was started last September.
An Emirati anti-narcotics police major testified that an informant alerted the them that H.S. was expecting a massive consignment of capsules, which was supposed to be brought to a Al Hamriya Port warehouse in Dubai and sold to a party before being exported to Saudi Arabia.
"An anti-narcotic police team remained on the lookout since the defendant arrived at Sharjah Airport. He rented a flat in Al Baraha and a warehouse in Al Qusais. He brought cartons to store the capsules.
"The capsules arrived at the port in 148 rolls of fabric in which the substances were hidden. They were then removed from the fabric, placed in boxes and stored in the warehouse. Thereafter, he was arrested in a sting operation," claimed the major in his prosecution statement.
Presiding Judge Barghout adjourned the case until June 3 for H.S.'s lawyer to prepare his defence and hear prosecution witnesses.
