Dubai: A saleswoman has been jailed for life for possessing 7gm of methamphetamine, that drug officers found hidden in a cotton wool jar in her bedroom, for trafficking purposes
Drug enforcement officers raided the residence of the 25-year-old Filipina saleswoman’s, A.M., in Satwa where they seized the banned substance following an informant’s tip off in January.
The Dubai Court of First Instance also fined A.M. Dh50,000 for possessing the banned substance for trafficking purposes.
Presiding judge Urfan Omar said the accused will be deported following the completion of her punishment.
The Filipina pleaded not guilty and contended in court: “The seized material did not belong to me … it was for a friend who shared the same accommodation.”
The accused possessed eight nylon sacks that contained the methamphetamine for trafficking purposes, said records.
An anti-narcotics policeman testified that an informant alerted them that the accused was looking for someone to buy drugs from her in Satwa.
“According to the tip off, A.M. had been promoting and selling drugs to addicts. We obtained prosecutors’ search and arrest warrant and raided her house. A policewoman did not find any drugs upon searching the Filipina. Then when we searched her house, she guided us to a cotton wool jar that she had put on a shelf … she opened the jar and took out the nylon sacks that contained the banned substance. She was taken into custody immediately after that,” he said.
The defendant was quoted as telling prosecutors that she possessed the drug for trafficking purposes. She was also cited as claiming that she had earned the money that drug officers seized with her from selling drugs.
Monday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
