Dubai: An advertisement producer has been jailed for four years for smuggling 93gm of cocaine in the form of candy inside his luggage for his personal consumption.
A Customs inspector stopped the 35-year-old Polish producer, M.M., at the arrivals terminal of Dubai International Airport after 30 green pieces of candy were discovered in his luggage in March.
The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted M.M. of smuggling and possessing drugs for his personal use.
In the court, the accused admitted that he possessed the candy but contended that he was not aware that it contained cocaine.
“I brought the seized substances with me but I was not aware that they had cocaine. I got them with me for my personal use,” said M.M.
Presiding judge Fahd Al Shamsi said the drugs will be confiscated and the accused will be deported serving the jail sentence.
When asked since when he had been using cocaine, the defendant replied: “I used to take cocaine more than a year ago … but not anymore. I bought this candy in my country and eat it. It is a sweet and I did not know that it contained cocaine. I really did not know that it was cocaine … I thought it was candy. This candy contains coca flower and it is not a drug.”
The Customs inspector said they searched the defendant’s luggage after they suspected that he might be carrying something banned.
“He arrived at the counter around midnight. When we searched his luggage, I found 30 pieces of green candy in the bottom of the bag. We examined the candy and discovered that it contained cocaine. We referred the defendant to Dubai Police’s anti-narcotics department for further interrogations,” testified the inspector. The accused asked the court for leniency.
Wednesday’s judgement remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
