Dubai: A student told a court on Sunday that an emergency landing forced him to stay in Dubai for two days, during which he was caught in possession of tramadol.
“I was flying back home when the aeroplane made an emergency landing in Dubai … I stayed in the transit section but I did not know that tramadol is banned in Dubai,” contended the 19-year-old Danish student, who pleaded innocent before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Sunday.
Law enforcement officers at the Dubai International Airport stopped the Danish student, who was caught in possession of 4,000 tramadol pills in January.
Prosecutors accused the 19-year-old of smuggling and possessing a banned substance.
Entering a not-guilty plea, the Danish student argued before the presiding judge that he did not know that the pills were illegal in the UAE.
“I did not intend to come to Dubai, but the plane had to land here. I had to stay here for two days and during which the pills were found with me. I use them for medical purposes … and I am sorry as I did not know that it is banned here,” the suspect told the presiding judge.
A ruling will be heard on May 30.
