Smuggler who soaked clothes in drugs jailed for seven years

Man was caught out by customs officers at Dubai International Airport

A man who tried to smuggle more than 18 kilograms of drugs into the UAE has been jailed for seven years.  Reuters

A man who tried to smuggle more than 18 kilograms of drugs into the UAE  has been handed a seven-year jail sentence.

Customs officials carried out a search of the traveller's luggage after growing suspicious of his unusual behaviour on arrival at Dubai International Airport on April 6.

They found the Nigerian smuggler's clothing packed in his luggage was soaked in a white powder.

Forensic tests were carried out on the substance, which was found to be methamphetamines.

Dissolving drugs in liquids is a common method adopted by smugglers to avoid detection.

“I searched further and spotted some white powder and suspected the clothes to be soaked in drugs,” said one customs officer.

When questioned by police, the 39-year-old said a friend had given him the clothing to deliver to someone in Dubai and insisted he had no knowledge they were smeared with illicit drugs.

“It happened without my knowledge,” he told judges while denying charges of drug possession and smuggling at Dubai Criminal Court earlier this month.

He was convicted of both counts at the court on Thursday.

He was ordered to pay a Dh50,000 fine in addition to his prison sentence, after which he will be deported.

He has two weeks in which to appeal against the verdict.