A drug dealer escapes the death penalty with life imprisonment

Abu Dhabi: The Cassation Court approved the Appeals Court sentence of life imprisonment to a drug dealer.

An Asian was charged with possessing and trading in drugs. He was caught with 94 capsules containing 732 grams of heroin.

The Criminal Court of First Instance handed him the death penalty. He then appealed and the Court of Appeals reduced the sentence to life in prison. The Cassation Court confirmed the previous sentence.

The anti narcotics department at the Sharjah Police received a tip off that an Asian was in possession of a large amount of heroin.

Undercover police investigated the matter, contacted the suspect and confirmed that the drugs were in Tawila in Abu Dhabi.

The police arrested the defendant, who confessed to the charges before the prosecution.

The suspect said that he got a call from a friend back home informing him of the existence of heroin buried under a tree near his work. He went to the destination and found the heroin there. He claimed that he left it in the same place.

Headded that his friend called him back and asked him to sell it in exchange for Dh 37,000.

The undercover officer posed as a buyer, and the man was arrested in the act.

The defendant denied his previous confession, before the court which stated that his friend from his country told him that someone would contact him to deliver something. He claimed that he did not know either the person or the contents of the package to be delivered.

So, when the police met him, the defendant gave them the package. He claimed that he did not ask for money, but the police officer insisted on giving him Dh37,000.