Dubai: A 48-year-old Emirati who was caught with 38 marijuana pots in a villa he had transformed into a marijuana nursery was sentenced to 10 years in jail and a Dh50,000 fine on Tuesday.
K.A.A., who has two masters degrees from a foreign university and a respectable job in the UAE, told the police and the court that he was growing marijuana for his personal use.
He was arrested following a tip-off to the Anti-Narcotics Department at Dubai Police.
According to the tip-off said the suspect, K.A.A., was in possession of large amounts of marijuana that he grew at his home in one of the emirates, and that he consumed and sold marijuana.
When the man’s villa was raided by police, they found an elaborate set-up, including ventilation, temperature and humidity controls and lighting to provide suitable conditions for growing the plants.
According to the police, the majority of the plants were found on the ground floor of the villa and some of the plants had reached up to 1.5 metres in height.
K.A.A. had partitioned a room on the ground floor into three to grow the plants.
Police also found marijuana-drying equipment, as well as plants that had been harvested.
During questioning, K.A.A. said that he got the seeds from abroad and planted them on his own at home.
He had learnt how to grow marijuana when he was studying abroad.
