A drug smuggler who stashed more than one kilogram of heroin inside boxes of green tea has been handed a 10-year prison sentence.
The Pakistani traveller was caught trying to sneak the illegal haul through security after his early-morning arrival at Dubai International Airport on November 7 of last year.
Customs officials grew suspicious after noticing the batch of teabags in the man’s luggage were heavier than expected.
“It was around 4am when I stopped him and searched his luggage,” said an Emirati inspector, 29.
He found wraps concealed inside the boxes of teabags which contained a “powder” he suspected to be heroin.
“I opened the wraps and inside there was a brown powder which I suspected may be heroin, so I referred him to the police’s anti-drug force,” he said.
Forensic tests found the man was carrying 1.1kg of heroin.
During police questioning, he did not clarify where he had obtained the drugs or to whom he was delivering them.
He was convicted of the possession and smuggling of drugs at Dubai Criminal Court.
The defendant was fined Dh50,000 and is to be deported at the end of his prison term.
The sentence is subject to a potential appeal, which must be lodged within two weeks.
