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.
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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
