Dubai traveller gets 10 years in jail for smuggling heroin in tea bags

Dubai - The 21-year-old man was also fined Dh50,000.

A 21-year-old traveller, caught with more than 1kg of heroin at the Dubai airport, was sentenced to 10 years in jail on Tuesday. The narcotics were found in his luggage, stashed in bags of green tea. 
Convicted of smuggling and illegal possession of drugs, the Pakistani man was also fined Dh50,000, according to the ruling of the Dubai Court of First Instance. He will then be deported after his jail term and upon the settlement of the penalty.
The Pakistani man arrived at Dubai International Airport on November 7 last year on a visit visa, the court heard earlier.
A customs inspector, who was on duty at 4am on the day of the incident, said: "The defendant's luggage looked suspicious because of its abnormal volume. The accused was then stopped and his bags were searched."
Three bags of green tea were found. "We opened the tea bags and found another bag in which there was heroin."
The traveller was then referred to the Dubai Police anti-narcotics department. He was arrested and has since been detained.
A crime lab report confirmed that the substance was heroin, which weighed 1,145g.
The ruling may be appealed. 
mary@khaleejtimes.com
 

• Dubai