Dubai: Woman sentenced to 10 years in prison, fined Dh100,000 for drug use, possession

The Dubai Criminal Court has sentenced a Syrian woman to 10 years in prison and fined her Dh100,000 for possession of drugs.

The case dates back to April 15 last year when the police arrested the 37-year-old defendant in Dubai near Al Qiyadah Metro Station following reliable information received by Dubai Police's General Department of Anti-Narcotics. 

The tip-off indicated that the woman was in possession of and using crystal meth.

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At approximately 8pm, the defendant was apprehended upon arrival in a white Ford Mustang, where a search revealed 25.29 grams of liquid methamphetamine in a plastic bottle and 1.26 grams of crystal meth in five plastic wraps.

Tools used for drug consumption, including glass and plastic pipes, a lighter, and plastic covers, were also found on the scene. A forensic report confirmed the presence of amphetamine and methamphetamine in the defendant’s urine sample.

During investigations, the defendant admitted to purchasing the drugs via WhatsApp, transferring Dh500 to a local bank account, and receiving the pick-up location through the app. 

Her defence argued that discrepancies in the recorded weight of the drugs between the police report and the forensic analysis invalidated the evidence, but the court dismissed this stating the difference was in gross weight, not net weight.

The court based its verdict on Federal Law No. 30 of 2021 on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, highlighting that possession of between 20 and 100 grams of methamphetamine warrants the most severe penalty.

The woman was convicted for her crimes and the judges ordered her deportation after serving her prison sentence. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional day in jail for every Dh100 owed.