Sailor gets jail term for drugs smuggling

Dubai: A sailor has been jailed for illegally bringing in opium and codeine in his boat and for consuming drugs, a court has ruled.

The Dubai Court of First Instance sentenced the 55-year-old Iranian sailor to four years in jail, although he pleaded not guilty to smuggling and possessing drugs. He will be deported after serving his jail term.

The verdict is still subject to appeal.

The Public Prosecution charged the sailor, M.Q., with smuggling and possessing 14.3 grams of opium, six pills of codeine and 21 pills of a banned substance. He was also charged with possessing morphine.

"I didn't smuggle any drug and the confiscated substances don't belong to me," M.Q. had argued in court last week.

An Anti-Narcotics Police first corporal testified: "An informant alerted the Anti-Narcotics Department of Dubai Police that the accused possessed drugs in his boat, which was anchored at the Dubai Creek. The police raided the boat and found the drugs and pills hidden in the lower deck."

The first corporal, who had interrogated the sailor, claimed he denied that the drugs belonged to him.

"Later he took out a green plastic bag which contained opium. When we confronted him with the medical pills, he alleged that he used them for medical purposes," the first corporal said, confirming that the police also found hashish in the boat.