Dubai: A chemist, who was stopped at Dubai International Airport’s transit section for possessing 483 Pregabalin pills, was carrying the medicine for scientific research and development purposes, her lawyer told a court.

The 37-year-old Chinese chemist denied the accusation of smuggling Pregabalin, a banned substance, when she entered her plea before the Dubai Court of First Instance.

The 37-year-old was flying from Pakistan to China via Dubai in transit when a customs inspector stopped her for carrying the drugs in her luggage in January.

“My client is a chemist and holds a postgraduate degree in chemistry. She did not have any criminal intent when she carried those pills … actually she was carrying them for research purposes. She is a business partner in a pharmaceutical products company in her country and she had flown to Pakistan for research purposes. She did not even buy those pills for herself,” the suspect’s lawyer Ayman Merdas argued before the presiding judge.

The chemist provided the court with an official letter from the Chinese company, according to lawyer Merdas, confirming that she had been tasked to carry the Pregabalin pills for research purposes.

“The letter also mentioned that my client had been commissioned to carry those pills only for research purposes and not for personal consumption. My client was apprehended at the transit section and she does not reside in the UAE. She could not find a direct flight from Pakistan to China and so she booked on Emirates Airlines … the customs inspector who stopped her also testified that my client had admitted to her that she was flying via Dubai in transit. she obtained the requested permission to carry the Pregabalin in Pakistan and in China … and she did not know that she had to obtain permission to carry those pills because she was not scheduled to stay in Dubai,” said Merdas.

The chemist had denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty when she defended herself in court.

The lawyer further provided the court with copies of the suspect’s university degrees confirming that his client is a chemist and pharmacist.

“We ask the court to acquit her because she did not have any criminal intention,” the lawyer told the presiding judge.

A ruling will be heard on May 28.