Dubai: A man has been jailed for life for possessing 5kg of marijuana that he intended to sell to a police informant as part of a sting operation for Dh9,500 per kilogramme.
Drug enforcement officers apprehended the 35-year-old Nigerian man, A.S., carrying marijuana in a sports bag during a sting operation in Hamdan area in January.
The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted A.S. of possessing drugs for trading purposes and consuming hashish although he had pleaded not guilty.
The defendant possessed marijuana weighing 168gm, 10 pieces that weighed 4.79kg and a grasslike dried substance that weighed 40gm for trading. He also consumed hashish.
Presiding judge Mohammad Jamal said the accused will be deported after serving his punishment.
A police major at Dubai Police’s anti-narcotics department said an informant alerted them that the defendant was searching for someone to buy marijuana for Dh9,500 per kg.
“We obtained prosecutors’ permission for the informant to pose as a buyer to apprehend A.S. in a sting operation. We provided the informant with Dh6,000 police money [that was the only amount available at the department then] after we had it photocopied to use as future evidence against the defendant in court. The informant contacted A.S. and they agreed to meet outside a hypermarket in Hamdan area. Instantly after the deal was struck in the defendant’s car, the informant signalled for a police team that had been monitoring the sting operation. The police money was found under A.S.’s legs while the marijuana was seized in a bag.
On confronting him with the findings, the defendant said he had agreed to sell the drugs for Dh9,500 to the buyer [informant]. A.S.’ car was seized as well and after a search, more drugs were found hidden inside it,” testified the major.
The accused was quoted as admitting to police interrogators that the seized drugs belonged to him.
He also tested positive for hashish.
Tuesday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
