Passenger vomits drug capsules

Dubai: A transit passenger was handed the heftiest fine — Dh200,000 — in drug cases, after he was caught vomiting drug capsules that he smuggled in his stomach on board an aircraft's washroom.

The 32-year-old Nigerian visitor, J.A., was exposed smuggling 59 capsules of amphetamine in his stomach suddenly after he fell ill and threw up nearly nine capsules in the washroom of the EK airplane that was coming from Brazil.

The Dubai Court of First Instance jailed J.A. for seven years and fined him Dh200,000 after he was convicted of smuggling in transit 59 capsules of amphetamine drug that weighed 872 grams.

"Yes, sir, I smuggled the drugs… but I was the one who reported the airport police about the drugs," argued J.A. when he defended himself in court.

Chief Prosecutor Walid Khalifa, Head of Drugs Prosecution, asked the court to implement article 49 of the anti-drugs law.

The article stipulates that a suspect could face between seven and 10 years in jail and/or a fine between Dh50,000 and Dh200,000 for smuggling drugs in transit.

An Emirati first policeman testified that EK ground staff reported them that the defendant vomited on board the plane after he fell ill suddenly. "We were informed that he felt fatigued and exhausted. When I boarded the plane, I discovered that he vomited nine capsules in two different washrooms. The capsules seemed like drugs… I informed the anti-narcotics police," said the first policeman.

An Emirati anti-narcotics policeman testified that J.A. confessed to him that he flew in from Brazil.

"When I asked him what happened to him that he fell ill, he did not answer. Then he admitted that he vomited drug capsules," claimed the policeman.

The accused was taken to Rashid Hospital where he was given medication to let out the rest of the capsules.

Tuesday's judgment remains subject to appeal within 15 days.