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3 sentenced to death for drug trafficking

The Abu Dhabi Criminal Court has sentenced three Asian men to death for drug trafficking and possessing 53kg of hashish with intent to smuggle to Saudi Arabia. One of the defendants, who was at large, was sentenced in absentia.

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According to court records, joint investigations by the UAE and Pakistan brought into light a gang smuggling in hashish to be smuggled out to Saudi Arabia.

It appeared that the prime suspect, who had brought the quantity of the drug to the country, was looking for someone to act as mule to take the contraband to Saudi Arabia against Dh2,000 for each kilogram.

An agreement was reached between the intelligence agencies in Pakistan and the suspect who brought the drugs to the UAE, to make a police undercover agent in the UAE to act as a mule through the third suspect, who fled the country when his accomplices were arrested.

The other two suspects, who were arrested while delivering part of the drugs to the undercover agent, confessed that the contraband was smuggled into the country with the knowledge of the third defendant. They said the third defendant had struck a deal with them that he would store the quantity against payment of Dh200,000.

Accordingly the duo rented a room in Dubai and stored 53kg of hashish in five drums, which was seized in cooperation with the Dubai Police.

In court, the duo admitted possessing the drugs, but denied drug trafficking charges, saying they had stored the drugs in the interest of the third defendant.

Two get life imprisonment

In another case, the court sentenced two Arab youth, aged 21 and 18, to life imprisonment on charge of drug peddling. The court added four years jail term to the elder defendant for using drugs.

According to court records, the second defendant was arrested red-handed while selling hashish at Dh1,500 to a plain cloth cop, who posed as buyer. During interrogation, the second suspect who helped the police to lay the trap and apprehend his accomplice said the latter was the one who supplied him with the contraband.

Drug pusher gets life term

An Asian man was sentenced to life imprisonment for drug trafficking in a third case in the Capital.

After investigation showed that the defendant was trading in drugs, the police laid a trap and arrested the suspect while he was selling a quantity of drug to a police undercover agent. On searching, the police recovered several rolled papers containing 17grams of heroin. The court found the man guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

A legal source said the law in UAE is strict in punishing drug traffickers due to the danger they pose to the society.

“The verdicts are issued by lower courts and the statute makes it binding for the public prosecution to contest the death penalty either by appeal or cassation by moving the apex court,” the source said.

Death penalty rulings will not be carried out unless they are approved, and passed all phases of proceedings.

The source said the cassation court has not so far approved any death penalty handed down to drug trafficker.

news@khaleejtimes.com

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