The Dubai Criminal Court has sentenced two Arab nationals to prison terms of five and ten years respectively, followed by deportation, after convicting them of possessing and abusing narcotic substances. In addition to the custodial sentences, the court fined each defendant Dhs100,000 and imposed strict post-release financial restrictions.
The judgment includes a two-year ban on transferring or depositing funds to others, whether directly or through third parties, without prior approval from the Central Bank of the UAE and in coordination with the Ministry of Interior. The court also ordered the confiscation of all seized drugs and related materials.
The case dates back to January last year and unfolded in Dubai’s Al Wuheida area. According to court documents, the two men were spotted late at night digging in the ground with their hands, behavior that raised the suspicion of a police patrol in the area.
A police officer on the scene reported that the individuals appeared to be under the influence of narcotics and were behaving abnormally. Upon conducting a precautionary search, officers discovered a quantity of suspected hashish on one of the men. Further searches revealed that the second man was in possession of substances believed to be hashish and cocaine.
When approached by the police, one of the defendants attempted to flee but was quickly subdued and arrested. Both were taken to the General Department of Anti-Narcotics, where subsequent forensic tests confirmed that they were under the influence of drugs at the time of their arrest.
A detailed report from the Dubai Police forensic laboratory confirmed that the first defendant was carrying 20 grams of hashish, while the second was found in possession of approximately 100 grams of hashish, cocaine, and other psychotropic substances.
During interrogation, both men confessed to drug use and revealed that they had acquired the substances from a dealer. They stated that the dealer had sent them the GPS coordinates of the drug stash via WhatsApp after receiving payment through a bank transfer. Their presence at the arrest location, they admitted, was for the purpose of retrieving the hidden drugs.
Authorities have not disclosed the status of the drug dealer, but investigations into the broader network are likely to continue.
