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Dubai: Two men have been given life sentences for smuggling, possessing
and trafficking nearly one kilogram of heroin which they hid inside
their laptops.
The Pakistani duo, 40-year-old A.H. and 36-year-old M.A., were said to
have bought the heroin from their homeland for Dh13,800, smuggled it to
Dubai and sold part of it to a police informant.
The Dubai Court of First Instance found the duo guilty of smuggling, possessing and trafficking heroin.
Drugs prosecutors asked for the implementation of the toughest
punishment applicable. Presiding judge Mohammad Jamal said the
defendants will be deported after serving their jail terms.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to possessing the drugs for
trafficking purposes but admitted to smuggling and possessing the drugs
for personal use.
An Emirati anti-narcotics police major said an informant tipped them
off that the defendants were looking for someone to buy the heroin for
Dh23,000.
“The informant agreed with the defendants to meet in a parking lot in
Satwa and seal the deal on September 9, 2012. As part of a sting
operation, the informant was provided with police money that was
photocopied to be used as future evidence against the defendants. When
the informant met the defendants they handed him a small napkin that
contained a sample of the drug. Then the defendants went into an old
villa to bring the drugs… we obtained prosecutors’ permission
immediately to raid the place and arrest the defendants after having
them searched. A police surveillance team raided the villa and arrested
the defendants. The Pakistanis admitted that each of them hid half a
kilogram of heroin behind the screens of their laptops,” testified the
major.
Prosecution records said the defendants helped the police remove the drugs from behind the screens.
Tuesday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
