Picture for illustrative purposes only. DUBAI POLICE

The Dubai Criminal Court has sentenced two Arab nationals to jail for drug possession and abuse, ordering one to serve 10 years and the other 5 years, followed by deportation. The court also imposed a fine of Dh100,000 on each defendant and barred them from transferring or depositing funds for two years post-release, unless permitted by the UAE Central Bank in coordination with the Ministry of Interior. The case unfolded in January last year in the Al Wuheida area, when a late-night police patrol noticed the defendants suspiciously digging in the ground. Officers reported that the men appeared intoxicated and were in an “abnormal state.” Upon searching them, authorities found 20 grams of hashish on one defendant and around 100 grams of hashish, cocaine, and other psychotropic substances on the second. Both were arrested after one attempted to resist and flee. Forensic reports confirmed that both men were under the influence of drugs. The defendants later admitted to using drugs and revealed that a dealer had sent them the GPS coordinates of the stash via WhatsApp after they transferred the payment to his bank account. “The defendants said they were digging to find the drugs based on the dealer’s instructions,” the arresting officer testified. The court also ordered the confiscation of all seized items. ICA/Expat Media
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