Dubai court upholds imprisonment of a Gulf citizen for possessing and abusing drugs

Dubai Court of Appeal upheld a verdict issued by the Court of First Instance sentencing a Gulf citizen to seven years in jail and fining him Dhs200,000 for possessing and abusing various narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances inside his vehicle in Nad Al Hamar area in Dubai.
The case dates back to September last year when Dubai Police’s General Department of Anti-Narcotics received a tip-off that the defendant, who had a criminal record, possessed and was abusing narcotic drugs inside his vehicle in Nad Al Hamar area in Dubai.
A policeman stated that a team of the competent department and a patrol headed to the place where the defendant was after obtaining the approval of the public prosecution.
The policeman added that the defendant was seen sitting inside his vehicle, which was running, and was arrested there. After searching him, various narcotic drugs were found in his possession, while a large number of various psychotropic pills and narcotic drugs were also found inside his vehicle.
The defendant was then taken to the General Department of Anti-Narcotics.
According to the forensic laboratory report, the sample taken from the defendant contained traces of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
The report also confirmed that the items seized in the defendant’s possession were psychotropic substances weighing more than 150 grams, all of which were included in the federal law’s schedule of narcotics.
On interrogation, the defendant admitted that the drugs seized in his possession belonged to him and were all for personal use.