Dubai: A man who was arrested by police after a highway chase and found to have drugs including heroin and hashish hidden in his car has been sentenced to ten years in jail.
He was found to be in possession of five kilograms of hashish for peddling purposes and other narcotics.
Drug enforcement officers blocked the traffic on Dubai Bypass Road to be able to arrest the 45-year-old Emirati defendant, M.A., on November 11, 2012.
The Dubai Court of First Instance found M.A. guilty of possessing more than five kilograms of hashish to sell and other banned substances of various weights such as heroin, tramadol, methamphetamine and amphetamine.
The court fined the defendant Dh50,000. He was also accused of consuming mind-altering substances and driving a car under the influence of drugs.
“No, I am not guilty. I didn’t have any intention to peddle the drugs. But yes I am guilty of consuming and possessing drugs,” said M.A. before the court.
An Emirati anti-narcotics police lieutenant said an informant alerted Dubai Police that M.A. had drugs in his car and was heading towards Abu Dhabi.
“We blocked the traffic near to Al Maktoum Airport and busted the defendant. We found in his possession hashish and other banned substances that were hidden in his vehicle. The defendant guided us to an amount of drugs that he had buried under a signboard near the exit to Al Khawaneej area on the Dubai Bypass Road,” said the lieutenant.
Prosecution records cited the defendant as admitting that he took the drugs from a Pakistani prisoner, whom he claimed he met in Ajman Central Jail five months prior to his arrest.
M.A. said the Pakistani man, named Gaga, had been deported. He also told prosecutors that his friend was supposed to pick up the drugs which he had buried.
Sunday’s verdict remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
