Dubai court acquits man caught with 20 live bullets at airport

A North American air traffic controller, charged with illegal trafficking and unauthorised importation of ammunition into the UAE, was acquitted on Thursday.

The 44-year old, with 13 years of service in the country, was apprehended at Dubai International Airport (DXB) around 9pm on October 19 last year after 20 live rounds of 9mm and 22mm ammunition were found in his luggage by customs officers at DXB Terminal 3.

During the trial at Dubai Criminal Court, the defendant admitted to unintentionally bringing the ammunition, asserting they were old and unusable.

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A 28-year-old customs officer, however, testified that upon inspection, the ammunition comprised of 16 medium-sized and four small rounds were operational, contradicting the defendant's claim.

The defendant said that after leaving the UAE for New York with three bags, he travelled to various locations before returning to New York. It was there he accidentally placed the bullets in a bag he originally intended not to bring back to the UAE, forgetting about their presence upon his return.

He said his previous military service in the USA warranted him a firearm license, for which these bullets were designated.

Lack of intent to smuggle

Despite denying awareness of the bullets and the prohibition of their entry into the UAE, the presence of the ammunition, particularly in an easily accessible bag pocket and not concealed, was highlighted by his Emirati lawyer, Mohammad Al Redha, as evidence of his client's lack of intent to smuggle.

Based on the lawyer’s defence argument, the court cleared the air traffic controller, ordering only the confiscation of the discovered ammunition.

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