Abu Dhabi: A man charged with smuggling heroin is to be executed, the Abu Dhabi Criminal Court ruled on Sunday.
The Asian man was caught at Abu Dhabi airport after coming from his home country carrying 4.25kg of the drug.
Customs officials grew suspicious after the defendant showed signs of anxiety, the judicial department said. After searching his luggage two transparent bags, which were stored in the bottom of his bag, were found to contain a brown substance which was later found to be heroin.
The defendant confessed during investigations at the public prosecution that he had brought the drug with him with the intention of delivering it to a European man living in the UAE in exchange for Dh100,000. The accused also stated that he had received the drug from a man in his home country who hid the item himself in the bag.
The accused had previously entered the UAE four times on a tourist visa.
The sentence can be appealed.
