Dubai: A visitor, who was planning to stock 1kg of methamphetamine pills at his residence to consume them over the next two years, was jailed for seven years.
Drug enforcement officers at the Dubai International Airport seized the banned substance hidden in the luggage of the 24-year-old Pakistani man when he flew in to the country in February.
The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the defendant of smuggling and possessing 10 sacks of methamphetamine without any intent.
According to the primary ruling, the presiding judge also fined the accused Dh50,000.
When the defendant appeared in court, the presiding judge dropped the charge of possessing the drugs for promotional purposes.
Upon reading out the new charge of smuggling and possessing methamphetamine pills without intent, the accused pleaded guilty.
“I brought them with me for my personal use. I consume drugs … I just had my residency issued for two years and I won’t be taking a leave during this period. So I was planning to use them during the next two years while keeping them at my home,” he told the presiding judge.
The accused will also be deported following the completion of his punishment.
Court records showed that the defendant has already appealed his primary ruling and a hearing will be scheduled before the Appeal Court soon.
